


Quiet

by gryffindorJ



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Auror Partners, Aurors, Dirty Talk, Face-Fucking, Fights, First Kiss, Flirting, Frottage, Head Auror Harry Potter, M/M, Mystery, Pining, Touching, Uniforms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:19:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6491506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorJ/pseuds/gryffindorJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fresh out of Auror Training James is assigned his first partner, Teddy. The fact that he finds Teddy a little intimidating isn't bad enough, James also has old unrequited feelings for him. And that means things could only get worse when the Wizarding World is struck by an-unknown curse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet

"Then she has to cut out her tongue. Cut. Out. Her. Tongue! James! Are you listening to me?" 

"It's pretend though. Implied, right?" James replied, over his coffee. "Muggle theatre doesn't have enough special effects to have a bloody tongue coming out of a person's mouth." 

"You get the picture well enough," Rose snapped. "It was horrifying. She gives her _voice_ for this man she _loves_ but doesn't even really know him. Who would just cut out their tongue like that?" Rose snapped her fingers with her last word.

James shrugged, not sure what he was supposed to say at this point. Sometimes that was the best way to handle Rose, let her get whatever it was she was currently stuck on of her system. Besides, by the way she emphasized _love_ , it was clear she still had a complete disdain for it. It didn't matter that her heart was broken at sixteen and she was now twenty; she had the ability to nurse that wound like it was yesterday. To be fair to Rose, not everyone was stuck working with their ex, who showed her knickers to his housemates. James never asked Rose if she was more upset about him showing the knickers or that the knickers looked like the kind Gran wore. 

James loved love, and loved being in-love. He had been in love several times, including last Friday night, and had planned to tell Rose about it but had encountered her peaky and moody this morning. He would save it for lunch and cheer her up while teasing her with details. Unless it was her time of the month, because then nothing would make her happy. He was pretty sure that was two weeks ago. James was a little disgusted with himself for knowing that.

"You aren't listening," Rose hissed at him. 

"Am too," James said, trying to sound affronted and attempting to affect his best posture and most interested face even though he truly hadn't been listening. 

"I can tell by your face," Rose huffed. The look James had perfected may have worked on teacher after teacher, but Rose wasn't easily fooled like they were. She knew him better. James rolled his eyes and gestured for her to explain herself again. 

"The prince didn't fall in love with her," she said. "Then she up and died for him instead of slitting his throat like she should have." James started laughing. 

"Are you bothered she cut out her tongue or bothered she didn't off the bastard when she had the chance?" 

"The tongue, James! The tongue!" 

Another patron of the café passed their table as she practically yelled this at him, stopped suddenly and looked at the two of them. Rose blushed and James smirked, the person moved on. 

"It was all so depressing," Rose said after recovering herself. "She gave away her power to be with him. Her voice, she literally gave her voice for him and she lost him. The idea of cutting out a tongue," Rose shuddered, "so barbaric, it made me sick. Mum was naffed at me for being 'distraught over nothing'. She always drags me to these things, ever since I could remember, and gets angry when I don't respond to it how she wants me to." 

"It is gross to think of that big, _thick_ , red, _slimy_ , muscle cut free, spraying blood everywhere."

"Stop it," Rose moved to kick James under the table but he dodged her deftly. 

"You had nightmares all weekend and this is why you stumble to breakfast with me looking like crap?" James said, trying to show some sympathy. 

"Yes, and no. Work—" Rose waved her hand vaguely to show that James already knew about all her work woes. Rose had the _pleasure_ of being an Unspeakable, the youngest since right after the war. She'd earned that title by a thin margin; her aforementioned ex-boyfriend was two months older than she was. 

It was hard enough carrying that around, but worse having a dad who was so proud of you he couldn't stop telling people about it. Everyone always knew who worked where but when it came to that department everyone was supposed to pretend they knew nothing. Bless Uncle Ron for being so proud but he should have known better. On top of that there was her mum, bless Aunt Hermione too, but she was never shy about saying what she expected from Rose, and Rose had always felt the weight on her shoulders. 

It was one of the things that made James and Rose such good friends. James knew all about expectations. The world had those for him. James' parents were good about not putting too much on his shoulders though. If he remembered correctly, the last thing his dad had expected of him was "Show up on time to Sunday dinner, and make sure you're not drunk. Or hung-over." His mum was no better. She still coddled him as much as she could. All she expected from him was to praise her cooking and to wear a clean shirt. 

"Big first day today," Rose said jumping subjects. 

"Don't think it will be. There are only two of us who made it through training, and only two Aurors need partners. Dad's not going to put me with Teddy—"

"Rules dictate he can't even if he wanted to," Rose interrupted. 

"I know, you're always helpful with those rule reminders," James said dryly. "That makes it clear my partner will be Stebbins, gassiest man in the wizarding world. Maybe the whole world?" 

"Gross, Jamie. Do you really have to bring that up every time?" 

"Why am I in trouble for that? You're not the one going to be pinned down with him for hours in close quarters while we watch people, houses, buildings, whatever. I was in training with Denby, we were squashed together in some bloody broom shed and for three hours all I could smell was her. Her clothes, her shampoo, the glossy stuff she wears on her lips! That was wretched and she didn't smell bad. Do you know what it will be like to be shoulder to shoulder with someone who—"

"Enough! I know." Rose aimed another kick at James but this time made contact because he was too busy laughing to see it coming. 

They finished their coffee and breakfast and left for the Ministry, Rose insisting they were going to be late. James pointed out that being fifteen minutes _early_ instead of her normal twenty would be all right. 

As they stepped out of the café and turned up the street towards the Ministry, Rose asked, "How's Teddy doing?" 

"Don't know. Dad's the only one he really talks to about anything related to that, and you know Dad, he's never going to tell anyone someone else's business. It's his first day back from probation." 

"Don't say probation. It's a _Mandatory Relief of Duty_. Makes it sound like Teddy did something wrong when you say probation." 

"Aww, does Wosie-Rosie still lurve Weddy-Teddy and not want his feewings hurt?" James teased, throwing his arm around Rose and squeezing her tight.

"Stop it," Rose huffed and tried to squirm out of James' grasp. "I feel bad for him is all. It was horrible, his partner killed in front of him like that and no one able to get to him. Teddy had to carry him out on his own, and there was so much blood they thought Teddy was bleeding too." 

"I know what happened," James said coldly. "I don't need to be reminded. He wasn't drunk and sobbing in your parents' house for two weeks." 

"Sorry, Jamie—I—I didn't think you were –" Rose's ears turned red but James waved her off. He didn't need or want an apology from her. He knew what she meant. 

"So, er." Rose cleared her throat. "Besides, I'm not the one who has a crush on Teddy. I was five when I was convinced I was going to marry him. You were, how old was it when you—" 

"How come you always have to bring that up? I was fifteen. Fifteen! And what was I supposed to do? He was coming over all the time in Auror robes and those tight trousers, and wrestling with me and teasing me. With his hair that perfect blondish colour and his eyes light and crinkled at the corners when he laughed and those bloody lips. It makes him look sweet and kind, but it's the perfect cover up for the real cheeky arse that he is. He had his legs locked around me, and swatted my arse as he told me off for taking money out of Lily's room. His thighs were squeezing and oh God – I was harder than hell and all I wanted was for him to squeeze me harder. Finally he let go and I—"

"Stuck your tongue down his throat. I remember you telling me." Rose smiled brightly. 

"He pushed me away and wouldn't look at me. Then he called me a 'kid' and 'Harry's son' and it was awful."

"You can't blame him. You were like his little brother. What would happen if you stuck your tongue down Al's throat? He'd probably cut off your balls, not even bothering to use magic," Rose said. 

"I would cut off my own balls if I stuck my tongue down Al's throat," James said with a shudder. Kissing Teddy was one thing, but kissing your own brother, that was fucking sick. "Doesn't matter now. Haven't really talked to him since. Lucky he took that Auror Exchange thing in Austria after that. I only had to suffer through every Christmas dinner with him." 

"There was that one year you left the table to go wank in the bathroom?" 

"When people make drunk confessions, it's polite not to mention them again," James said through gritted teeth. 

"Stop coming round my flat when you're pissed then," Rose said sweetly. "It's me, Jamie, you can't be embarrassed with me. I know about the nipple clamps you nicked from your dad's drawer."

"Merlin, I think I was only eight or nine when I did that. You remember that?" James said, admiring Rose's memory. 

"It's hard to forget you using them like clips to make your napkin into a bib at the dinner table. I have never seen your dad move so fast, and that's saying something. Nor have I ever heard him yell so loud." 

"Rose, there you are! You're late," Hermione said as she made a beeline to them from across the Atrium. "Hello, James. Big first day." 

Hermione didn't wait for James to thank her, just continued to scold Rose for her "tardiness." Rose tried to argue that Hermione had no right to dictate her work schedule and just because she came into work early didn't mean everyone else had to. It didn't work; Hermione talked over her. Rose looked to James with desperation. 

"It's my fault," James said half-heartedly. "I had breakfast with Rose and made her wait till I was done." Hermione turned and looked at him in the way that would make James cry when he was a kid. Rose could affect the same look from time to time. "I don't like to be rushed," James finished lamely. 

"You're late as well, Auror Potter. I don't like people from my department being late," Hermione said. 

"It won't happen again," James said, not looking his much smaller and shorter aunt in the eye. He had forgotten for a moment that she was his father's boss, which made her his boss' boss' boss. He almost told her that he doubted his dad was in before nine on a regular basis. Maybe then Aunt Hermione would harass his dad, who was much better at handling her, but no, James did his best to look cowed. 

"I don't believe you, _Jamie_ , but we won't worry about that now. Off with both of you," Hermione left them at the lifts and strode away without a second glance. 

"Your mum scares me," James said out of the corner of his mouth as he and Rose got onto the lift. 

"She scares everyone," some wizened old wizard standing near the back of the lift replied. 

 

**

"James!" Harry called out from his office. 

James gave Denby, who sat across from him, a half smile then stood and walked into his dad's office. For a minute he was caught off guard by the framed poster displayed on the wall directly behind his dad's desk. It always struck James when he saw it, seeing his father so young, and over the last couple years it looked more like Albus blinking back at him. "Undesirable Number One," it read. It had been a gift from Uncle George when his dad had made Head Auror, and his dad had even kept the note that came with it. "Even with a criminal record better than mine look how far you've come." 

Some people thought it was odd for Harry to keep it where he did. James thought it was a gentle reminder that his dad might be the best Auror there was but he was no company man. 

Harry stood behind his desk thumbing through a stack of parchment and looked up as James flicked his wrist to look at his watch. "What are you doing?" Harry asked. 

"Marking the time. How long have you been here?" James said, straight faced, trying not to laugh at the confused look his dad was giving him. 

"I don't know. Twenty minutes?" 

"I've been waiting for about half an hour. I ran into _Mrs. Weasley_ almost forty minutes ago, at which point she informed not only was I late but she didn't like _her_ Aurors being late." 

"Mrs. Weasley—who—Hermione? Pffft. Her Aurors? She spends her days behind a desk—normal hours if she chooses—not out in the field all hours of the bleedin' night and day. It's why we aren't paid by the hour. Next time don't go through the Atrium, Apparate straight here.

"Now, Jamie. James. Auror Potter," Harry said, trying to keep a straight face but he couldn't and smiled like a fool at James. James swallowed reflexively round the lump that had suddenly risen in his throat. It had hardly been four days since he'd finished Auror training and here he was in his Dad's office getting his first assignment. Four days ago his dad had officially presented him with his badge at the ceremony. He had tears in his eyes and as he shook James' hand he had quietly said, 'Auror Potter.' He had never said that to James before. It was new and it struck James to his core. They were colleagues now, but even more than that. Like brothers in arms. It was a new side to their relationship, a shared purpose. Harry was proud of him, and James knew it. Seeing his father now reminded him of it. He had to look away before he thought too much about it. 

"My—ah—partner?" James said, daring to look up and hoping the moment had passed. "No need to tell me where to go. He's still down in the room that used to be a broom cupboard?" 

"No, James, there's been a change." Harry walked round his desk and shut the door. "Have a seat." 

James raised a brow but moved a stack of files out of a chair with a flick of his wand and sat down. 

Harry moved his cloak and what looked like a pair of muddy trainers out of the chair next to James and sat down. "You're going to be partnered with Teddy," he said. 

"What? I can't be. It's against the rules," James said automatically. 

"No, it's not. It's a guideline, a suggestion. Don't argue," Harry raised his hand to forestall James who had already opened his mouth, "I checked with Hermione."

"And she's all right with this?" James said, not pretending to hide his shock. 

"She's not a fan, but Stebbins is in Saint Mungo's with severe Gastroenteritis."

"He can't possibly have got worse," James gaped. 

"I saw him this morning." James and his dad both winced at the same time. 

"I don't think Teddy and I would work together well," James said, not sure if he believed it or not. 

"Until this morning you were going to be with Stebbins, you knew that. I was only doing that because I thought I had to. I always thought you would do better with Teddy. You complement each other—"

"We've never even worked together, you can't possibly know," James said, all too aware that he sounded petulant. 

Harry snorted. "I think I know that my son and my godson would work together well. I raised both of you. I've worked with him for over five years and I've watched you in training, read your reports. Your skill set and personalities mesh well." 

"Dad, please. Not Teddy." 

"Why not Teddy?" Harry sat back in the chair, crossed his legs, and put his hands behind his head, looking at ease and ready to defend whatever argument James had. 

"People will think it's favouritism," James said.

"If they do, they're wrong," Harry replied easily. 

"We don't get along." 

"Bollocks." 

"People will think we're shagging because you put the two _gay_ Aurors together. It's like some horrible erotic crime novel. We bag criminals by day and have mind-blowing fucks by night. The dialogue is all bad innuendos." 

"James," Harry said sharply. 

"Language in your office, I know, sorry," James said, rolling his eyes.

"This is my decision and if people are going to question it they are questioning me. I will handle it. You've never cared what people think before. Why start now?" 

James stared hard at his dad then turned away. "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "May I be excused, _sir_?" 

"No, you may not," Harry replied, voice brooking no argument, and James was worried for a moment that he had pushed his dad too far. "I need something from you." Harry leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "I need you to keep an eye on Teddy. The things he's gone through, they’ve been rough on him." 

"Then why did he come back?" James said coldly. 

"He's ready to be back. He can't sit around forever going between his flat and our house. He needs to refocus and begin to move past everything. He's ready to be past it."

"If he's ready, how come I have to keep an eye on him?" James said, knowing he sounded like a prick. 

"If something happens, if he hesitates even for a second, you'll forgive him. You'll understand. Other people, other Aurors, wouldn't be so forgiving. You're better than that." 

"Fine," James said, this time with less anger. He stood and before he left Harry's office asked, "What about Denby?" 

"She gets the honour of being partnered with the Head Auror," Harry said dryly. 

"Oh, I see now, it was either me or her, and you shipped me off with Teddy because you didn't want your young, fit son showing you up," James said. 

"Are you calling me old?" Harry said, standing up straight and trying to look taller, but James had passed him in height almost five years ago and they both knew it. "I can still kick your skinny little arse." 

"Only if you stupefy me first," James said cheekily, dodging the playful blow Harry aimed at him. 

"Get out of here," Harry said with a smile and he pushed James out the door. 

"He's got a surprise for you," James said loudly to Denby as he passed her. 

James felt a bounce in his step as he started down the corridor towards Teddy's office. His smile and good humour slowly faded as his dad's words came back to him _You're better than that_. He suddenly felt a little more sympathy for Rose and the weight on her shoulders. 

Teddy's door was closed when James reached it. He raised his hand to knock but stopped. He stepped back and huffed as he ran his hand through his hair, pushing his fringe away from his face. 

He had no idea how to even casually interact with Teddy. Teddy had always been slightly enigmatic to James. Their last true encounter had only solidified that image in James' head. There were lots of reasons he should know Teddy well, the first being that he had known Teddy his entire life. However, a thirteen-year-old boy and a twenty-year-old _man_ aren't about to become the best of friends, especially when the former is considered a pebble in the latter's shoe.

Standing outside that door made James feel like a pebble all over again, and the word "kid" rang somewhere in his mind. He couldn't knock on the door looking like some idiot and he wasn't going to stand out here looking like an even bigger idiot. He turned the handle and pushed open. 

"Here I am ready to let you have your way with me," he announced with the biggest damn cheek-splitting smile he could manage. 

Teddy didn't say anything immediately as James had expected. He sat there behind his well-organized desk, in his small but well-organized office, reading what looked like a memo. When he finally glanced up, he looked at James as if he was already bored with him and muttered, "I promised your dad I wouldn't hurt you, otherwise I might take you up on the offer." He then went back to reading the roll of parchment in front of him. He didn't even smile! James was not going to take this. 

He flopped down in a chair and kicked his feet up on Teddy's desk as he clicked his tongue. "Don't let Dad intimidate you. I'm a big boy, I can handle whatever you give me." 

Teddy looked up again, this time he smiled but said, "All right then, _Potter_ , I have a stack of files that could use your special…big…boy…attention."

 

**

"I don't even know why I'm going into work today. Another wasted day in the file room. Until two weeks ago I didn't even know the Ministry had a file room. Now I know it like the back of my bloody hand." 

"Right." 

"Teddy ignores me and tucks me away like a nuisance. It's not fair! He hasn't given me a proper chance to become a nuisance!" 

"Mmhm." 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" James said, transferring his annoyance with Teddy onto Rose. She yawned widely and rubbed her eyes in response. 

"Nightmares about—"

"The tongue? Still?" James looked down at her and for the first time all morning properly looked at her. She was still very pale, and her hair, every bit as bushy as her mum's, looked like it hadn't been washed in over a week. 

"I'm so tired, Jamie," she said, yawning around the 'a' in his name and elongating the sound of it. "I'm knackered after work and I think I'll sleep fine but the moment I fall asleep it's all knives and tongues." 

"Your mum has officially made you mental," James said, not remembering that as much as Rose liked to complain about her mum, she was also the only one who could. Before Rose could do more than stare daggers at him, he quickly said, "Your hair looks nice, by the way." 

"Ha. Ha." Rose self-consciously ran her hand over it the same way James did when he was flustered. 

"No, I mean it. Not as…"

"Puffy? Fluffy? Bushy?"

"I was going to say _fuzzy_. It looks tame." 

"Coming from you that is not a compliment. You should try to at least make your hair look presentable," Rose said, rolling her eyes. Had the top of James' head been within her reach, she would have mussed it. 

"I do try," James said, affronted, running his hand from the crown of his head towards his brow in an attempt to make it lay straight. Instantly, his fringe brushing his forehead annoyed him and he pushed it off his face. 

"Can't even manage it for more than a second," Rose scoffed. "Shit, I've got a presentation on Runes I have to be ready for." Rose dashed off towards the lifts without waiting for James but called over her shoulder, "Sorry 'bout the file room. Tell Teddy you aren't going to be his file boy!" 

James had considered that himself, but had so far kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to come off a whiner, especially this early on. If Rose was making the suggestion to say something then it was probably time he did. 

James arrived at Teddy's office before he did; instead of waiting outside of it or even in one of the other chairs, James sat down in Teddy's chair behind the desk. It was dark green velvet and much squishier then it looked. Teddy probably took long naps in it while James sat in the poorly lit file room supervising his alphabetizing spell, bored to tears. James sunk into the chair, making sure he looked extra comfortable when Teddy walked in. 

Within minutes, Teddy walked through the door to his office, glanced briefly at James before he threw his cloak over the back of one of the chairs and sat in the other. Teddy looked at him, smiled, and arched his brows. James couldn't quite read the expression. Not sure how to reply, James opted for silence but rocked back in the chair, reaching his arms out wide in an exaggerated stretch. 

"Comfy?" Teddy asked. 

"Quite. Could use a cup of tea but still very comfy," said James, doing his best to sink into the chair further. 

"You can get a cup of tea on your way out," Teddy suggested. 

"No, don't think I'll be going anywhere today," James replied airily. "I went to Auror Training not Office Assistant Training. If you have some more filing you need done, you can ask someone else. You're wasting my talents by sticking me there." 

"Been practising that speech long? You sounded very…unemotional about it." 

"Why would I be _emotional_?" James said, swivelling the chair from side to side. 

"You're ticked off. No one likes filing and least of all someone like you," Teddy said. 

"Is that why you've been sending me there, proving you can force me to do something I hate?" James said, his voice a bit more on edge then it had been before. 

"If that's what you want to think," Teddy shrugged. 

"Don't be an arse, Teddy," James said. 

"Don't be a child who thinks he has to prove himself in the sandbox," Teddy said with a bit of heat. 

James let the chair snap forward. "What gives you the right to be my babysitter?"

"Your dad. He's in charge here, remember?"

"No, I had completely blocked that out," James snapped. 

"It's my job to make sure you don't go off half-cocked and get yourself injured or worse."

"What the hell makes you think I'm going to do that?" James demanded. 

"When you were twelve you kicked a hole in your wall because Albus and Lily beat you in a game of Quidditch." 

"I'm not a kid anymore!" James stood to prove the point that he was indeed a full-grown man. He'd rip off his shirt and show him the hair on his chest if he had to. 

"And here you are yelling at me about filing. Mature." 

"For fuck's sake." James threw his hands up in exasperation. 

"Before we go out in the field you need to know who's in charge, and that I expect you to keep your head," Teddy growled. 

"I got the message loud. And. Clear." 

Teddy stared hard into James' eyes. James was not going to look away. They both narrowed their gaze at the same time, the tension between them crackling. 

"Here's your chance to show me," Teddy said, holding up a slip of paper in his hand without moving his eyes from James. James didn't say anything but cocked one brow in reply. "Get changed, we've got to take the Underground." 

**

They bumped along on the Bakerloo line heading for Whitechapel where they were supposed to meet with a contact or something. James wasn't exactly clear. He was so excited to be doing something other than filing he hadn't bothered to ask. James did know that they had to look like Muggles because their contact in the area wasn't certain if illegal magical detection spells had been put in place or not. While the Ministry bumbled about trying to work that out and remove any that had possibly been put up, Teddy and James had a job to do and were expected to remain undetected. 

James shifted, trying not to step on the feet of the person in the nearest seat. He moved around a lot, fidgety and ready for action. As he moved again, he caught Teddy watching him. He met Teddy's eyes and Teddy made a face that said, "relax." James nodded only slightly, trying his best to calm down. He took a deep breath and tried distracting himself by looking at the Muggles around him. He always felt a bit like his Grandpa for this but he did find Muggles a little interesting. His eyes swept over the various businessmen and women all in their buttoned-up work attire. He was glad not to wear one himself but did enjoy seeing men in suits on their way to work. Something about them looking so clean and nice made him want to get them all filthy and dishevelled. 

He kept his eyes moving until he noticed one man looking their direction. He wore a light grey suit and red tie. He was leaning against one of the bright yellow poles pretending to read the paper but he was clearly looking at Teddy over the top of it. 

Teddy, too, was leaning against a pole but he was looking in the opposite direction and didn't see the man interestedly watching him. Teddy had changed his hair to a bright amber for their excursion; and that with his snug jeans showing off his pert arse and his hip cocked just so made Teddy look quite young and not the almost thirty that he was. James thought he saw the man's tongue dart out slightly as he stared at Teddy. Probably thought he could pull some young Uni student to suck his cock.

Just because they were working didn't mean James couldn't have a little fun. He moved to his right and grabbed the pole just above Teddy’s shoulder. He dipped his head slightly and brushed his lips against Teddy's neck, then looked up at Teddy from under his fringe and gave him a cheeky smile. If Teddy was shocked he didn't show it. Instead he slipped his arm around James' waist and pulled him close. 

Until Whitehall they stayed like that, and as the doors slid open at their stop, James gave the man a smug look as they passed. 

Teddy pulled away as they climbed the stairs up to the street. James laughed as Teddy walked ahead and shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. 

"I don't need you to protect me from Muggle men in suits," Teddy said pointedly as they stepped onto the pavement. 

"How'd you know that's what I was doing?" 

"I could see his reflection in the window. You know, constant vigilance and all that drivel."

"We can go back if you'd like," James said, sweeping his arms in a dramatic way towards the stairs. 

"No, he wasn't my type." Teddy shrugged and turned on his heel to walk down the street. 

"What _is_ your type?" James asked, jogging to catch up. Teddy gave James a warning look. 

"What? I'm only curious. I feel like I don't know you sometimes," James said. "You never brought anyone round to Mum and Dad's. As far as I know, you like petulant, red-headed, half French _girls_."

That got Teddy to laugh. "You know enough to know it hasn't been _girls_ for me for awhile now."

"Then forget the girl part," James said, returning the laugh. 

Teddy kept walking but looked James up and down. "Blondes, who are shorter than me and the bookish sort." 

"You'd get along great with Rosie's ex, all except the bookish part, but he's clever enough." 

"He's also straight," Teddy pointed out. 

"Nah, he's a Slytherin. Opportunistic, not one-way or the other, at least in my experience," James said with a swagger. 

"Slag," Teddy snorted. 

"Wouldn't you like to know," James said without thinking that was perhaps a step too far. 

A grin slid across Teddy's face and he twitched his brows. "Jamie, I could write volumes on the things I know about you that you don't think I know."

James opened his mouth to say something but was cut off when Teddy said, "Now come on, kid, we got work to do."

_Kid._

There had been a series of petty wizard crimes in the neighbourhood, mostly stolen cars started with magic, items summoned out of pockets, nothing that would usually interest the Auror department. Until this morning when a dead body had shown up in the trunk of one of the stolen cars. The investigation was sent up to them. James was initially grateful they didn't have to examine the body; apparently it had been in the trunk of the car at least a week. The only connection to the crimes, other than magic, which the Muggle police clearly wouldn't know about, was a Muggle antique shop. As they walked, Teddy told James he was to go in and investigate. James asked for clarification about what exactly he was to investigate. Teddy shrugged his shoulders and said he'd be across the street if he needed him. 

James walked in the shop and immediately knew this was no _Muggle_ "antique" shop. His skin prickled with magic. Not to mention as far as he could tell there wasn't an antique in sight. The shop was composed partly of things his Grandpa would find fascinating, all wires and knobs, partly of things someone had nicked then sold - wrist watches, purses, Muggle cameras - and lastly of items that were utter and complete junk - figurines, old Coke cans and bottles, poor copies of fine art. It was so cluttered that James had to move with great care not to knock anything over. 

Movement from behind one of the stacks of old newspapers caught James' eye. He turned and moved towards it. He stepped out from behind the stack of papers and saw an older man standing behind the counter, eyeing him over the top of his reading glasses. James knew instantly why he had felt magic in the shop. This man was a wizard. No Muggle dressed this poorly; a shirt that looked like something a pirate would wear, a scarf covering most of his hair, and a paisley waistcoat. Also what appeared from the top to be jodhpurs but James couldn't tell, as most of his lower half was obscured. 

"Buy something or get out," the man said gruffly. 

"Right," James said, then swallowed to try and ease his suddenly very dry throat. "I was actually hoping you could help me with something…I was looking for a gift for my mum." James thought quickly, trying to remember some of the items Teddy had mentioned that had been stolen. "A…ah watch! A watch with diamonds instead of numbers on the face. I was told you have something like that." 

The man looked James up and down. "You a copper?" 

"God, no," James snorted. 

The man reached down behind the counter, and scenarios from training flashed across James’ mind: hidden wands, and worse, guns. Without thinking, his instincts took over James pulled out his wand and yelled the first spell that came to mind, " _Petrificus Totalus_!" The man's arms and legs snapped together, and he fell stiffly back into the shelves. 

James ran forward and leapt over the counter to see what the man had been reaching for. All he could find was an old leather bound book. He looked up at the man whose eyes – still animated – looked at James with complete fear. James pulled out the book, praying that there was some sort of secret compartment inside. He flipped it open, manically searching for something, anything, but all it appeared to be was a series of entries for items bought and sold. 

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" James threw the book down. "You aren't even a Wizard, are you?" James said, and by the way his eyes widened with shock James knew the man was nothing but a Muggle. 

Two cracks ripped through the air, and with his pulse still racing, James whipped around, wand at the ready. He fired a spell at the first one he saw, hitting him square in the chest with a stunning spell. He managed to get the spell off before he immediately dove out of the way as the other one fired at him. 

Suddenly the dread James had felt at petrifying an unknowing Muggle was replaced by confidence that he was doing the right thing. Otherwise why would Wizards descend on this place out of nowhere? 

The glass of the counter in front of James suddenly shattered as the other Wizard fired at him again. James quickly popped up and fired a curse, missing the Wizard but catching a bookshelf on fire. James dodged another spell then the door to the shop burst open. Teddy came running in and hit the other Wizard before he had time to react. 

"Thank fucking Merlin," James said, standing up from behind the counter. 

"What the hell happened?" Teddy said. 

"I—" 

"Fuck, Jamie," Teddy said, breathing heavily. He was looking down at the man he had stunned. "These two are from the MLE." 

"What?" James ran out from behind the counter, looked at the two bodies, and for the first time noticed the pale purple robes they were wearing. "Why the hell are they here?" 

"They must've had the place under surveillance. Shit." Teddy looked around as if he could detect the magic by sight. He noticed the proprietor of the shop, still petrified with his eyes looking like he would be shaking head to toe if he could move. "Did he see the whole thing?" Teddy demanded. 

"I guess so," James said, trying to sound apologetic while his mind tried to grasp why he had cocked up so badly. “I felt magic when I walked in," he blurted out defensively. 

"Shoddy surveillance spells is my guess. No criminal worth his salt would come anywhere near this place once he felt that spell." 

_No Auror worth his salt would have let the spell go unnoticed_ , James thought to himself angrily.

"Shit, we have to call the Obliviators," Teddy said, resigned, and turned to the still burning bookcase and shot a stream of water out of his wand, putting the flames out. 

"Can't we just Obliviate everyone? I know we can do it," James said, doing his best not to show his panic. 

"I heard the fight from across the street. It's a big mess, especially with them here." Teddy gestured at the two Wizards. "Someone sent them. We aren't the only ones who know they're here." 

"Shit." 

**

Teddy and James sat side by side outside Harry's office, both silent as they listened to Harry argue with Cuffe, the Head of the Patrol Division, and Hermione. Mostly it was Cuffe yelling about being tired of Aurors overstepping their bounds and taking cases that didn't belong to them. Hermione was saying the Aurors needed more regulations. Whenever Harry spoke - or rather, yelled - it was in defence of James' actions. Without calling James or Teddy by name but always saying "my Aurors." 

James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Waiting was hell and hearing his dad defending him was worse. He had stood by Teddy silently as he had explained to Magical Catastrophe what had happened. Swallowed his apology after the two Patrol Wizards were awakened and Teddy explained it was the heat of battle and they didn't mean anything by it. He was silent the whole way back to the Ministry waiting for Teddy to unload on him and tell him what an amazing fuck up he was. Teddy had said nothing. Waiting to be stripped down was so much worse than the actual act and Teddy seemed to be letting James steep for a very long time. 

The door to Harry's office suddenly flew open and Cuffe came storming out. He stared threateningly at James. 

"Is there something you need?" Teddy said coldly. Cuffe glared at Teddy then turned on his heel and left. 

Hermione was out of the office next, huffing and rolling her eyes as if she knew better than to expect something better out of them. 

Lastly Harry came out. James and Teddy immediately got to their feet. 

"You heard all that?" Harry asked with a jerk of his head towards his office. 

James nodded and Teddy said, "Yes, sir." 

"Then you know the problem is more complicated than the two of you." They both nodded in response to this. "That's it, you're both dismissed." 

James jaw dropped open but his dad didn't seem to notice. He went back into his office and closed the door. Teddy started down the corridor and James hurried to catch up with him. 

"See you tomorrow," Teddy said. 

"What? That's it? No one is going to let me have it?" James said, shocked. 

"That's it," Teddy replied. 

"Great, I'll be back filing tomorrow," James replied. 

"Go home, Jamie," Teddy said, sounding thoroughly tired.

"But what about—" 

"Better yet, go to your parents'. I am sure your mum wants to take care of you after you almost got yourself killed." 

"Are you calling me a mummy's boy?" James demanded.

"Go, James. Just go." Teddy stared hard at James, making it clear that James should keep his mouth shut and listen. It took everything James had not to fight back, but Teddy's will, in this situation at least, won. James turned and walked away.

**

James sat on the edge of the fountain in the Atrium waiting for Rose. If no one else would make him feel bad for what happened today, she surely would. She would also be sympathetic enough, but he really did need someone telling him he bollocksed the situation, and not to do it again unless he intended on being sacked. 

He waited for almost half an hour and finally gave up, figuring she was working late or that he'd missed her all together. He stood up and walked to the closest Floo and headed to his parents' house. Maybe Teddy was right, that letting his mum fuss over him was what he needed. 

"Hello?" his mum yelled from the kitchen. James walked into the kitchen. His mum's back was to him as she stirred something on the stove. 

"Mmm, that smells good," James said. "Can't wait to eat."

Looking over her shoulder, Ginny smiled affectionately and said, "What did you do?" 

"What did I do?" James said with mock indignation, leaning over to give his mum a kiss on the cheek and swiping his finger through the creamy sauce while she was distracted. 

"Yes, Jamie, what did you do?" Ginny looked pointedly at him as he licked the sauce from his finger. The look said it all. He couldn't _behave_ for any reasonable stretch of time, even if it came to keeping his fingers out of the food she was cooking, which he had been warned not to do ever since he could remember. 

"If missing my dear sweet mum is a doing something wrong then that's what I did." 

"Oh, please. Get some butter out." James opened the fridge and pulled out the crockery of butter, smiling to himself. His mum giving him directions was her way of saying 'stay for dinner', not that it was ever a question that she wouldn't let him. 

“You only show up here for three reasons. One, you've done something wrong. Two, you're tired of eating curry and pizza. Three, you've been invited. I know it's not the third one, so which is it? Thank you," Ginny said as James reached above her and handed her the jar of cumin she had been straining to reach, her wand not close at hand for her to Summon it. 

"I have the best mum in the entire world, that's why," James said, throwing his arm around her shoulder and squeezing her. 

"You're always full of it." 

"Am not. I just know how brilliant my mum is," James said with a smile. 

"Hello?" Harry called from the living room where he had just come through the Floo. 

"In here!" Ginny yelled back, as if Harry wouldn't know that's exactly where she would be. 

He walked in the kitchen and kissed Ginny swiftly on the cheek and told her dinner smelled wonderful. Harry then went to the fruit bowl, took out an apple, bit into it, and threw another one to James. "Tired of curry?" Harry said after he swallowed his first bite. 

"Told you," Ginny said without turning around. 

"Yes, that exactly," James said, giving up. 

"Showed up on a good night. Ron and Hermione are coming over," Harry said before taking another bite of his apple. James felt the back of his neck grow hot and resisted the urge to mess with his hair. He’d known he would have to sit through dinner with his dad knowing exactly the shit job he had done today, he’d been prepared for that. But Hermione wasn't adept at the game he and Harry had played over the last couple years. Keeping Ginny in the dark about the less-than-glamorous parts about being an Auror. Neither of them liked her worrying more than she already did. Not to mention the fact that Hermione wasn't about to let James get out of this day without a piece of her mind. 

"Rose is joining us too," Ginny said, "and of course –" She was cut off by someone knocking on the back door. 

Right away James knew who it was. Only one person he knew Apparated regularly into the back garden and used that door. 

"You don't have to knock," Harry said loudly and Teddy opened the door. 

"Sorry, it's all those manners grandmother beat into me," Teddy said, walking in. James felt his stomach drop. It was like some sick joke. The only way this evening could get better was if, in a sudden show of goodwill, or insanity, his dad had invited Cuffe to dinner as well. 

"I doubt she ever beat you," Harry said, taking the bottle of wine from Teddy. 

"Spoiled the hell out of you," Ginny added. 

"You were the paragon of discipline," Teddy said to Harry, who laughed. 

"You turned out fine, despite our best efforts to turn you into a spoiled, entitled prat," Harry replied. 

Teddy clapped James on the back and said, "Wish you could say the same for your son." 

"Albus is a lovely boy," Ginny said, giving James a wink. 

"I'm going to set the table," James said abruptly, leaving the kitchen before taking the piss out of him became the theme for dinner. 

James skulked in the dining room, staying out of the way once Hermione and Ron arrived. James could hear Harry, Ron, and Ginny talking about the announcement of England's National Team for the upcoming World Cup while Hermione remained silent, having no opinion on the subject. 

James had just began to wonder where Teddy was when he came sauntering into the dining room. 

"This why you told me to come to dinner?" James blurted out. 

"What was that?" 

"You tell me to come home for dinner knowing full well you were coming here too. Not only that, my aunt is here! Dad I can handle, but this isn’t funny. Waiting till I am sitting ready to eat, and then one of you will bring up my enormous cock up. Not only will I have the three of you on my arse but my mum too." 

"Always with a big opinion of yourself. We've got better things to talk about than the latest work drama." 

"But this time it involves me!"

Teddy sighed and shook his head. "Can't you take this at face value? I thought you would enjoy the company and forget about the day. It wasn't some trick to make you look like an arse."

"Time to eat," Ron announced, walking into the room. "I'm famished." 

Teddy pulled out the chair closest to him and gestured for James to sit. James narrowed his eyes at Teddy but sat in the offered chair. 

"We aren't waiting for Rose?" Ginny said, walking while levitating several dishes in front of her. 

"She's working late," Hermione said, following behind Ginny. 

"If we waited it'd be midnight before we ate," Ron added. 

"At this rate she'll be Minister before you, Hermione," Harry said with a smile at James. 

"As long as someone in this family is," Ron said, sitting down. "I can't manage to get good seats for the World Cup." 

Everyone started eating and having casual conversation about their kids, their day, or whatever Ministry gossip they had heard. James didn't have much of an appetite. He sat waiting for someone, his aunt most likely, to talk about the real _news_ of the day. 

James was refilling his glass with the bottle that had just been opened when his uncle said, "How's the new partner treating you, James? Got lucky with that one, didn't you?" 

Teddy must have seen James stiffen, or possibly his eye twitched, because suddenly Teddy's hand was gripping his thigh. 

James did his best and answered with a neutral, "It's…ah…going fine." 

"Teddy not working you too hard?” Ron grinned. Teddy's fingers tightened slightly. "He's not sticking you in the file room waiting for you to snap? Old Auror trick that." 

James glared at Teddy, and Teddy loosened his grip and began slowly stroking James' thigh and gave him a sheepish smile. 

"Teddy's been a brilliant partner. Training me up proper," James said, still looking at Teddy. 

Harry interrupted what Ron was going to say next, "James is a fine Auror. He's absolutely brilliant." 

Hermione coughed and James felt his body stiffen again. Teddy continued stroking James' thigh in nice soft circles. If he weren't so agitated he would have had a boner the size of his head.

"James is like every other Auror." Hermione gave Harry a pointed look when she said it. 

Oh no, here it was. This was the explosion. James felt his body twitch, ready to collapse in on itself. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Teddy looked nonplussed, and continued stroking James' leg, taking a bite of his food as if this were all normal fare. 

Harry grinned at Hermione and said, "Just like I said. _Brilliant_." 

"Ron, are we supposed to bring gifts to mum's birthday party?" Ginny asked, turning the conversation away from work. James didn't know if his mum had somehow sensed the underlying tension and had skilfully defused it, or if she didn't want to hear about work anymore. Either way, James was grateful for it. 

The rest of the meal continued without incident and James began to relax slightly. Teddy did not remove his hand from James' thigh until he stood to help clear the dishes. 

**

James sat alone in the grass in the back garden eating his pudding in blessed silence. He ate slowly, enjoying the tart taste of the rhubarb, his favourite. He heard the grass ruffling and looked up to see Teddy walking towards him. 

"Mind if I sit?" Teddy asked and James shrugged. 

He had expected Teddy to sit across from him, but he sat directly next him, knocking shoulders as he did. 

Teddy looked at James' bowl and said, "That looks good. Mind if I have a bit?" He took the spoon before James could stop him and ate the bite James was just about to take. He went in for another but James turned away and pushed against Teddy with his back. 

"Get your own! There's more in the house." 

"I know but it's much more fun to eat some of yours. Come on, Jamie, be a good boy. Just one more bite." Teddy tried to reach past James with the spoon, aiming for the bowl. James huffed and turned, thrusting the bowl at Teddy. Teddy grinned, and did as he said he would, just one more bite, though it was the biggest 'bite' James had ever seen. 

“You have freckles," Teddy said with a bit of surprise as he handed James back his spoon. 

"Thought you knew everything about me," James said, rubbing his finger over the bridge of his nose across the very light dusting of freckles. 

"Could've been wrong." Teddy shrugged. 

James snorted and looked away. 

“What's with you?"

"What do you mean? What's with _me_?" James shot back. 

"You've been an arse all night." 

"I don't appreciate the set up," James said angrily. "You insist I come home for dinner but it's just so I can sit through hell with you, my dad and my aunt." 

"I didn't know having dinner with us qualified as…hell," Teddy said, making little quotation marks around the word hell with his fingers. 

"It is hell! Waiting for someone to spring on me and tell me how much I screwed everything up." 

"You think you haven't got wrung out because we – and by that I mean your dad, aunt and I – are waiting for the time it will hurt the most?" 

"Yes!" James said, not sure what he meant. "Someone will say something!" 

"No one is going to say anything. You don't think I've sat across from your dad at some family gathering after completely cocking up? Or worse, your aunt? It happens to all of us. They don't drag it home with them. I don't either." 

"Great, now I'm part of the big family cover-up." James put his dessert down in disgust. 

"Stop being such a bleedin' martyr. I'm going to tell you this once so open your ears and listen up," Teddy said. "Your dad—"

"My dad is letting us off the hook because it's us. He's doing exactly what everyone thinks he would. Giving his son and godson special treatment," James said. 

"Shut it and listen," Teddy snapped. "Your dad did exactly what he would have done with any one of his Aurors, not just you. Not just me. Cuffe and Hermione aren't there, in the thick of it, every day. They don't know what it's like. Cuffe was never in the MLE till last year, and got his job because he donated money to the right political campaign. You acted on your instincts, and for better or worse, that’s the best thing you have out there. What if that man had a gun or a wand and you were unprepared? 

“Yes, you read some of the signals wrong and cocked up pretty big. We all do something stupid – not all of us have to call in the Obliviators – but you aren't expected to be perfect. Harry knows that, I know that. Harry will defend any Auror, and that means you too, as much as he can. He isn't about to let any other person question you because to him that's questioning him. Same with me. No one will question you, and I'm the only one who can tell you what a fucking mess you made today, but to the rest of the department, to the rest of the world, I will always say you did the right thing. _We_ did the right thing."

If James could have been more surprised at what Teddy just said, he couldn't tell you how. He blinked at Teddy, having no idea how to reply. 

"Pick your pudding back up because if you let the ice-cream melt too much and the crust gets mushy then I'm going to have to eat the whole thing. It's my favourite that way." James suppressed the grateful smile he felt on his lips and did what Teddy said. 

Teddy reclined back on his elbows, stretching his legs out in front of him. He was in such a position that if James moved the slightest bit back he would have been lying on half of Teddy. The thought made James' heart thump. 

James did his best to ignore Teddy, and the fact that he appeared to have taken a sudden liking to him. He ate in silence until the last bite. It was mushy rhubarb and ice-cream-soaked crust with melted ice-cream practically dripping off the spoon. 

"Here," James said, holding the spoon out for Teddy in sort of a peace offering. Teddy's eyes slid over James then he reached for the spoon, but instead of taking it from James he held James' hand fast to it. He pulled James close as he barely parted his pink lips to allow the spoon past them. The grey flecks in Teddy's otherwise blue eyes were clearly visible from this vantage. 

"Promise I'm not back filing tomorrow?" James asked, his throat feeling dry.

The spoon slipped from Teddy's lips with a slight dart of his rhubarb-stained tongue in a way that gave James filthy thoughts regarding Teddy's mouth. He did his best to quell them, since he was probably the only one having those thoughts. Only he could imagine someone eating rhubarb tart in such a lewd way.

"Promise." 

**

James could still feel the grip of Teddy's hand on his thigh, Teddy just behind James in the garden, his hand wrapped around James' as he ate the last bite of pudding. He could picture the dart of his tongue, the playfulness of his smile. 

He woke up with one hand curled in the sheets, the other in his pants stroking his cock. James was too needy to come to thoughts of Teddy to bother with taking off his pants. He stroked himself quickly. The sound of skin on skin, the rustle of his sheets, the quiet rustle of his pants on each down stroke, and his heavy breathing echoed in his ears. He thought about rolling on top of Teddy in his parent's back garden, desperately kissing him as Teddy frantically undid both their trousers, freeing their cocks. They ground together and kissed one another with tongues that still tasted of the perfectly tart rhubarb, Teddy's hot skin against his. 

James' back arched, feet flat to the bed as he came, flashes of fucking Teddy racing through his mind. 

Orgasm complete and thoughts of Teddy sadly fading, James fumbled for his wand on the bedside table to clean himself up. He put his wand back and rolled over to his side to go back to sleep. 

He couldn’t quite get thoughts of Teddy to go away though. He wanked to thoughts of Teddy more often than he was willing to admit. Whether willingly, like when he relied on tried-and-true fantasies, or unwilling, when Teddy would creep into his mind despite James' best efforts to grow up. 

James pondered the fantasy he'd just had. It was closer to actually happening than anything else he had ever imagined. Perhaps that's what made it so good? Because it definitely was that, a _very_ good wank.

It had been a quiet one though…

Typically James was more vocal during really good fantasies. More moaning and even a shouted stream of curse words at the point of climax. It was one of the reasons he was happy to live alone. Free to wank and be loud to his own delight. 

James mumbled, "That's odd." But nothing came out. His lips had moved and he had intended to make a sound, but nothing. He tried again. Silence. 

He rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom. There was something definitely off. 

**

It was almost unbelievable how quickly everything was happening. Less than an hour ago James was stumbling through his parents' Floo, scaring them awake and ending up on the very bad end of a spell from his father because James had no voice in which to say it was just him. He didn't even get a chance to ask his mum for a potion or remedy for his sudden ailment as it was quickly discovered both his parents were without voices as well. 

The panic that followed felt so very distant. Forces gathered in the bowels of the Ministry before it was even light outside set out to fight an enemy who hadn’t shown themselves, but had only taken every last wizards' voice. 

This was big. There was no doubt about that. Leaving wizards without a voice was leaving them without their power. Yes, most fully trained wizards could perform certain spells without a second thought or a breath uttered. They were basic, everyday spells, not curses and hexes used for defending themselves or their families. Perhaps, yes, in extreme situations they would be able to manage but _knowing_ one's voice was gone did something to the psyche. Knowing you couldn't speak it, even if you had to, meant you suddenly felt like you couldn't do it. Confidence was vital to performing effective magic. Without confidence it was…chaos. 

Yes, chaos was the right word for it but James thought chaos should involve more noise. The gathered Auror and MLE forces were moving quickly around the room to communicate any way possible with each other. Wild gestures, wands being used to draw crude figures that were then charmed to show action, and parchment being quickly written on. All chaotic movement, very little noise; it was weird. 

James scanned the room then turned his attention back to Teddy, who was intently watching the figures drawn by a wizard two rows in front of them. He raised his brows and bit his lower lip. James turned to see what the figures were doing. Clearly what the wizard was drawing about, and what person he was communicating with was gleaning from the drawings, was not the same thing Teddy and James saw. 

At the same time both Teddy and James tilted their heads to see the figures at a different angle. This only made it worse. James stifled a laugh along with Teddy. They slowly looked at each other. That was a mistake. Amusement overtook them and they both looked quickly away and doubled over in soundless laughter. It seemed the stress of the situation had undone them. 

Teddy's face was still red, and he wiped a tear streaming from his right eye as James' very grim-faced father stepped to the front of the room, Denby standing off to the side looking like she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. 

Everyone scrambled to their seats, no hush taking over the room because it was already pretty damn quiet. 

Harry took out his wand and flicked it to the large wall just behind him. Words in his own handwriting flew across the wall, large and black for the whole room to see. 

**All witches and wizards have lost their voices.**

No one gasped, not that you could hear it, or made any movement. This was a forgone conclusion but Harry still had to confirm what everyone thought. 

**Muggle-born children not of age have lost voices as well. We will be monitoring their cases and not removing them from their homes.**

Harry took a moment for all of this to settle in then continued on. 

**Safe zones are being set up. MLE will gather magical families and move them to these areas.**

**Aurors will be given assignments to investigate persons of interest.**

**If you are not capable of performing wordless spells please see your superior immediately for a reassignment.**

Teddy looked at James and raised his brow in question. He obviously wanted to know James' skill at soundless spells. James had no right being an Auror if he couldn't effectively perform magic without his voice and would have told Teddy so but couldn’t. Instead he looked at Teddy and nodded firmly. Teddy gave him a small close-mouthed smile and patted James’ thigh. 

Teddy didn't remove his hand from James' leg as Harry continued on, but left it resting there. 

**Safety is our number one concern. Anyone who wants the magical world voiceless wants us powerless. Please take caution and keep your minds sharp.**

**Please see your superior for further instructions now.**

The room erupted in movement. James turned to Teddy and mouthed, "Instructions?" 

Teddy shrugged.

They both turned to see Harry making his way towards them, Denby in his wake. He pointed at the both of them and gestured for them to follow him. 

Harry signalled for Denby to wait there and then led Teddy and James into an empty room usually used for training. Harry took out a piece of parchment from his pocket and tapped it with his wand, then thrust it at Teddy and James. 

Before James looked at was written, he looked at his dad. Harry's entire being was suffused with anger and worry. James didn't blame him one bit but it made James nervous. He'd never seen his father like this. 

Panic threatened to rise up in James' chest so he quickly looked at the parchment in Teddy's hands. 

_Hogwarts_

Was all it read. 

They looked to Harry. Out of the corner of his eye James saw the look on Teddy's face and was glad he wasn't the only one unsure of such a huge assignment. 

Harry huffed angrily, snatched the parchment out of Teddy's hands, and rapped his wand on it again with much more force than was needed. James was surprised the parchment didn't explode. 

_None of my Aurors know the castle and grounds like you two._

Right. James should have figured that. Of course Harry knew the grounds and castle himself but he couldn’t go there so he was sending the next best thing. Teddy and James had both once been the proud keepers of the Marauder's Map. James never considered himself an owner of it. Teddy's father, James' grandfather, James' middle namesake, and that other one were the original owners. Teddy's father then had given it to Harry. Since Harry had never actually given James or Teddy the map, merely looked the other way when it was nicked from his desk drawer by each of them on different occasions, James still considered his father the only rightful owner. 

Teddy tapped his wand on the parchment, and his own neat handwriting blossomed on the paper. 

_Where's the map?_ it read.

James knew Al had returned the map to his father's desk after he left Hogwarts two years ago. James and Al had been in agreement that Lily couldn't have the map. Sneaking out and breaking rules was completely against everything she stood for. She was far too much like Uncle Percy for her own good. 

Harry reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the old battered parchment. He held it so tightly in his hand his knuckles were turning white. 

Harry looked to James and Teddy then swallowed hard and opened his mouth and slowly mouthed, "Be. Safe." He handed Teddy the map and then strode out of the room, rushing off to save the world, again. 

**

As James walked through the gates at Hogwarts, time suddenly felt wrong. It felt natural to be walking up the lane through the gates like he was returning from a trip into Hogsmeade. He felt no part the twenty-one-year-old Auror who hadn't walked through these gates for almost three years. Things that happened only hours ago seemed dream like, hundreds of years away. 

The eternal nature of the grounds only added to James' odd sense of time. Sure his father's generation could point to new parts of the castle or scars on the great lawn left from the war, but to James it had always been this way. 

James slowly looked out of the corner of his eye at Teddy striding next to him. The swirl of his midnight blue cloak, the dull reflection of the ivory buttons of his waistcoat, the crunch of his knee-high boots on the gravel. It brought the reality of the situation back to James. He wasn’t a boy coming back with his pockets bursting with sweets and jokes from his uncle's shop. 

He was a man. An Auror. Sent here to secure the castle, secure the grounds, ensure the safety of hundreds of children. It was the exact opposite of a Hogsmeade trip. 

Teddy turned and looked towards James. He wasn't looking at James though, but past him, out towards the Forbidden Forest. His face was blank but his eyes had a hard, distant look to them. James turned his head to see what had captured his attention. 

The Whomping Willow, of course. Was Teddy thinking about his father? There was no way Teddy could look at that tree and not think about his dad. James then realized maybe Teddy wasn’t looking at the Whomping Willow at all. Maybe he was looking at the grounds, the lawn where both his parents died. Or maybe Teddy was looking at all of it. How his dad lived, how his parents died. 

James grabbed Teddy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Teddy looked up at James and raised his brows. James slid his hand a little lower down Teddy's back and gestured with his chin to the doors of the castle, hoping the action said, _Let's go, the past is the past._ Teddy half-smiled, nodded, and they continued on inside. 

The castle was the sort of quiet James expected at odd hours of the very early morning, not at 7:15 on a Wednesday morning. Even the Great Hall was empty. James' stomach gave an instinctive growl at the thought of rashers and buttery toast and porridge with loads of treacle. 

Teddy snorted and shook his head as they headed up the stairs. James grinned and hoped that securing the castle and grounds meant a trip to the kitchen.

They walked to the Headmistress's Office and only after they got there did James realize there was no way for them to get in. Teddy put his hand on his hips and looked at the gargoyle like he could make him move from the force of mind alone. 

Teddy took out his wand and wrote slowly through the air in large red letters. The word read "Black Mamba." Upon completion of the word the gargoyle sprung out of the way, giving them access to the office. 

As they rode the stairs up to the door Teddy mouthed, "Dumb luck" to James' questioning look. 

A cacophony of voices was heard coming from the office. The voices stopped as soon as Teddy rapped on the door. Then a voice that James recognized called out, "Please, do come in." 

As they stepped into the office every single portrait stared down at them. 

"The Headmistress will be back shortly," Professor Dumbledore said. "Should we have some tea sent up?" 

"Merlin help us, this is the best the Auror Department has?" Professor Snape said snidely. "The wizarding world is worse off than I thought." 

"Severus, there is no need to worry. We have the finest Headmaster since…well…since _you_ ," Phineus-Nigellus said. "Professor Bulstrode will use the keen intellect that all Slytherins have to right this entire situation." 

"That is if a Potter and Lupin don't completely bollocks up the entire situation first. I've never been so happy to be dead and not in a world where those two are its protectors." 

James looked sideways at Teddy and gestured with an open fist moving it back and forth. 

"I can see you from here, Potter," Snape said coolly. 

James grinned and held up his fist higher to give the portrait an even better view. 

"Time has done nothing to improve you. Given your name, I am not surprised."

"What news from the Ministry?" Dumbledore asked. 

James had a sneaking suspicion Dumbledore knew more than he did. What with his portrait all over the place he had greater access than James and Teddy. 

Teddy shook his head and shrugged.

The door opened and the formidable Headmistress walked in. She had every reason in the world to look completely forbidding, and still James was grateful she hadn't been in charge in his day or he was sure to have been expelled by his second year. 

Before James and Teddy could even greet her, Snape started in. "Good, you're back. You have no doubt been checking Potter's records and have seen he is not fit for a task such as this. He flouted authority on a regular basis, regularly slept during class, got his entire house locked out of their dormitories, ran a gambling ring, flooded the greenhouses _twice_ , and that is hardly the tip of the iceberg." 

"I quite liked when the house-elves only served pudding for a week. That was my favourite," Armando Dippet added in. 

"I did not think it would be possible but he outdid every bloody relative that came before him." 

"Severus," Dumbledore said. "You hardly do the first James Potter and the Weasley Twins justice when you put it that way. You have also forgotten that this James had the highest marks in his year, had twelve O.W.L.S and every single NEWT he took. He was especially gifted at potions, if I recall. Like his grandmother."

"The investigation into those test scores is still open," Snape said sourly. 

The Headmistress glared at the portraits to quiet them but they continued on. 

"Don't forget Lupin's record," Phineus-Nigellus piped in. 

"Oh yes. You'll want to check his as well," Snape started in. "To Potter's credit, he may have slept during class but at least he went. Young Lupin never saw fit to attend class on a regular basis, and—" 

"Convinced the entire student body to go on strike," Dumbledore added with a chuckle. 

Professor Buldstrode had apparently had enough of the portrait chatter, and frankly so had James. She took out her wand and silenced the portraits with a long sweeping wave of her wand. 

Teddy sighed and smiled gratefully. 

The Headmistress jerked her head towards her desk where a quill and parchment were already laid out. 

She quickly wrote across the parchment and then stood straight for Teddy and James to see what was written. 

_All students are quarantined to their houses. Classes are cancelled until further notice._

Teddy picked up the quill and wrote. 

_James and I are here to further secure the castle and grounds. Check all the security charms._

Bulstrode nodded and took the quill back. 

_Staff is patrolling the castle as well_ , she wrote. 

James and Teddy nodded. Then Teddy wrote, _We'll check in with you when we're finished._

Bulstrode nodded grimly and wrote one last thing on the parchment. _I checked both your records. Please try to be a little less Gryffindor about all of this._

James grabbed the quill from her hand before she could put it down. _If I had been caught every time that record would be three times bigger. We’ll manage._

**

The classrooms, library, dormitories, trophy room, staff quarters, offices, bathrooms, cupboards, corridors, alcoves, Owlery, towers, secret passages, and every last mouse hole within the castle were secure. Oh yes, and the kitchen as well, which did take a bit longer than expected as the house-elves insisted upon serving them a full tea. 

The castle and grounds were protected by some of the most ancient and strongest magic James had ever seen. His dad had told him some of the headaches it had caused after the war trying to rebuild the castle where so many enchantments, spells, and wards were in place. 

Magic, however, was known to fade or flicker in its strength. It was doubtful that the magic surrounding Hogwarts would do so but still, it was Teddy's and James' job to ensure it was as safe as ever. Just like the half dozen Aurors who were checking the wards on the Ministry. 

The work had all been done in complete silence, which was really starting to get on James' nerves. Though it did afford him the time to watch Teddy. The way he cocked his head to the side when pondering something. The secret smile on Teddy's lips as they passed the Room of Requirement and a particular tapestry on the third floor. James would have to tease him about that later. Not that he was above shagging in similar places. He did feel his own face grow very hot as they checked the Prefects' Bathroom. 

Finally it was time to go outside. The grass felt soft and squishy under James' feet, a sure sign it was spring. They first walked past the vegetable patch to the greenhouses. Teddy gestured at them and raised his brows at James and mouthed, "Flood?"

James smiled and nodded. Yes, he had flooded every single greenhouse, twice. He made a wide gesture with his arms and mouthed, "All true." 

Teddy's eyes widened and asked, "Gambling?"

James had the decency to feel a little but ashamed of that one. He scrunched his face and nodded. He ran a couple booking operations for three years before he got caught. Damn Scorpius Malfoy selling him out because he didn't want to split their profits from the Quidditch Final. 

Teddy made a very quiet whistle, put his hands in his pockets and continued on. James rushed to catch up with him. He liked walking side by side with Teddy. 

As they walked around the lake, a warm breeze lifted their hair. Teddy undid his robes and pushed them back onto his shoulders. He looked perfectly at ease even though they were quite busy checking for any hole in the charms surrounding the castle and adding more wards at strategic points. 

As they passed the hut belonging to Hagrid, who was patrolling the castle with the other staff, they walked towards a bench in the vegetable patch and both sat down 

James stretched out his legs and yawned widely. God, this was tiring. He felt like he'd been up for days. He just wanted a couple minutes rest now and he'd be ready to go for another twelve hours if needed. 

Teddy reached into his pocket and pulled out the Marauder's Map. Without being able to say the incantation out loud it had taken them a couple tries to get it to come to life. It was all about intent. The words didn't need to be heard to work but they had to be focused. 

Teddy studied the map, looking for anything suspicious. He nudged James' shoulder and pointed down at the map. Flitwick was still in the toilets, the same place he'd been most of the day. 

James furrowed his brow and grabbed his stomach to show maybe Flitwick was sick. 

Teddy shook his head and silently scoffed, then made the wanking gesture with his left hand. 

James sat up straight and opened his eyes wide in surprise. 

Teddy silently said, "Always," and then made the wanking gesture again. 

James wrinkled his brow in disbelief. 

Teddy nodded and pointed at his own eyes and then held up one finger and mouthed, "Once." 

Eww, that was something James did not want to know. He cringed and made face like he was going to sick up. Teddy shuddered at the memory. 

Teddy folded the map back up and put it in his pocket. He arched his back and then leaned up against the side of Hagrid's hut and closed his eyes. James thought about doing the same but took the opportunity to look at Teddy more. 

He wore his hair sandy today. He did that _most_ days. It had been years since he changed the colour depending on his mood. He wore it parted to the side but it looked like he just simply ran his fingers through his hair and it stayed that way; artfully tousled, not Potter-hopelessly-messy. It always looked perfect, except for first thing in the morning. Teddy had stayed over enough for James to know Teddy's hair stuck up in the back in the morning and his fringe went straight back not to the side. 

His eyelashes looked sweet as they rested on his cheeks. They were very dark at the base but lighter near the ends. He had a long, straight nose and beautiful pink mouth that he kept neutral, but James could easily make him smile. 

Teddy swallowed and that drew James' attention to his throat and the pulse beating just to the side of it. Fluttering calmly beneath his skin. The first two buttons of his standard Auror issue blue pinpoint striped shirt were undone, and James could see the V on his neck from where the sun had not touched his skin. He also saw the first small traces of the hair on Teddy's chest. 

James looked down Teddy's long, lean torso. He was not as tall as James but James wouldn't be surprised if Teddy could still kick his arse. Years of being an Auror had done nothing but make Teddy's physique more than worthy of every fantasy James had ever had about him.

Teddy preferred his waistcoat cut trim, James noticed. He could easily see the graduation from Teddy’s strong chest to his narrow waist. Teddy must have been fussed over by the tailor in the Robes, Uniform, and Ministry Issue Department just as James had. The tailor was an exacting old man with a strong accent James couldn't discern the origin of. The man took great pride in his work and no one left his department looking "no better than the pig's slop." James knew that his arse, for one, had never looked better in a pair of trousers in his life.

Teddy's hands rested just over his navel, where they rose and fell with each slow breath. His hands had always seemed large to James when he was a kid. But even now they still were. They looked strong and capable, able to tenderly caress or punch you in the face at any moment. 

James moved his gaze down Teddy's legs, which were straight out in front of him but crossed at the ankles. His thighs looked strong under his Auror trousers, which were the same colour as his waistcoat and robes. James wondered what Teddy would look like in only the knee-length trousers, or maybe just the knee-high boots.

In a moment of self-awareness James laughed at himself. It was funny James found what Teddy was wearing so damned sexy, given he was wearing the same thing. James looked good in his Auror uniform but Teddy _made_ his. 

His attention naturally wandered to Teddy's cock. He'd never actually seen Teddy's cock but it had to be just as good as the rest of him. 

James' cock stirred with interest and he quickly looked away. The day was warm and he didn't want to button up his robes because he had to hide a hard-on from Teddy. 

Slowly he stole one more long look at Teddy. The sun's rays made the gold of his belt buckle glimmer in the afternoon light.

God. It was like he was a teenager again. The want filled his chest, made his hands flex with need. It was all he could do not to jump on Teddy. 

_Don't be in love with your partner. It will only lead to trouble,_ James admonished himself. 

_It's only Teddy!_ he said in his head over and over. But that only convinced him more. Yes, it was only _ever_ Teddy. 

James huffed. This was ridiculous. No amount of wanting and wanking would make Teddy feel the way he did. He needed to stop being ridiculous before he did something stupid, again. 

Teddy opened one eye and looked at James. Then, seeing he was spun about something, opened both eyes and mouthed, "OK?"

James waved him off. He was fine other than the fact he would never get over Teddy. Yes, he was fine. 

Teddy took out a blank piece of parchment, grabbed a twig which he Transfigured into a basic pen, and wrote quickly across the paper, then handed it to James. 

_I didn't know you were so good at potions._

James smirked and wrote in reply. 

_I can manage. Better at Transfiguration._

Teddy raised his brows, clearly wanting to see a display of this. James found his own twig from the ground and transfigured it into a pen. While Teddy's was simple and black, James' was cased in blue and gold with a gold fountain head tip. A small round ruby at the top of the pen, and then engraved on its side in gold it read, _Auror Teddy R. Lupin, Wanker_.

Teddy laughed as he took the pen. It was a bit over the top but Merlin, James wanted to impress him. 

Teddy wrote, _Impressive_ with the new pen on the piece of parchment. James shrugged modestly. 

Teddy held the pen in his right hand and cupped his chin in his left, studying it intently for a moment. He then acted like an idea suddenly popped into his head. He grabbed his wand and gave the pen a single tap then handed it back to James. 

It was everything James had in his power to control himself as he read the new engraving on the pen. _Auror Teddy R. Lupin, Cocksucker_.

Not sure what to do now James grabbed the parchment and quickly wrote, _You really get everyone to go on strike?_

Teddy grinned and took the pen back. _Yes. Had three essays due, hadn't started a single one. Gave a passionate speech at breakfast about taking back power and got my essays turned in on time when classes started two days later._

James wrote back, _Knew I looked up to you then for a good reason._

_I try,_ Teddy replied then paused and wrote, _When did you stop?_

James had to think about this. He wasn't sure he ever had. Teddy used to be the air in his lungs but that hadn't changed. The admiration had grown into something more. James wrote, _15, convinced myself I was in love with you._

_Convinced yourself?_

_Not hard. You're quite fit in those Auror robes. Then. Now._

James knew it was a risk saying that but for the love of fuck, he was writing with a pen that said 'cocksucker' on it. 

Teddy took the pen back and simply wrote, _Glad you aren't 15 any more._

Did that mean? Was Teddy saying? 

James didn't write a reply. With his eyebrows lifted and his eyes wide in surprise, he mouthed, "Really?" 

Then James saw something he had never seen before. Teddy’s cheeks turned the slightest bit pink. He lowered his lashes and his lips hardly moved as he replied, "Yes." 

James leaned in close to Teddy and slid his hand to the nape of Teddy's neck. James' heart was hammering in his chest. Fear filled his body. Teddy could push him away again and that would be more crushing than it had been years ago. But James was never one to let fear stop him. If anything it always sent him on. 

He leaned in closer, brushing his nose to Teddy's. Teddy was still looking down and didn't look up to meet James' lips. 

_Please, please, please,_ James said to himself. 

Teddy slowly raised his eyes and brought his head up. One silent word on his lips: _Jamie._

Their mouths came together, slow and sure. At fifteen, James had shoved his tongue down Teddy's throat, but at fifteen that was how James kissed. Teddy was doing everything he could for this to be the exact opposite of that embarrassing kiss. 

He kissed James with only his lips. Slow and deliberate as if he were trying to memorize every bit of James' lips before he moved on to anything else. 

James allowed himself to be taken in very slowly like this. He focused on the warm pillowiness of Teddy's lips. How they were perfectly moist, not a sloppy wet kiss at all. 

Teddy brought his hands up to cradle James' jaw. James noticed Teddy's palms felt damp on his cheeks. Was he nervous or just hot from walking around? 

As Teddy tentatively brushed his tongue to James' lips, a loud bang came from the castle. 

They broke apart as if struck by lightning and were running around Hagrid's hut before the feel of Teddy's mouth had even left James'. 

James' robes billowed behind him like a sail as they ran up the lawn to meet Hagrid, who was rushing towards them. He ran past Teddy, as he was a little bit faster than him. When he reached Hagrid, Hagrid handed up a piece of parchment. 

_Library. Theft._

It was in the Headmistress bold script. 

James nodded to a huffing and puffing Hagrid and continued on to the castle, handing the note to Teddy as they jogged through the corridors. 

They reached the library to find the Headmistress looking very upset and Madam Pince pacing and what would have been yelling if it wasn't silent. 

The Headmistress sighed heavily and looked somewhat relieved when she saw James and Teddy. She handed them a piece of parchment, on which she had already written:

_Three books, Restricted Section, gone. One book, Muggle Studies, gone._

Teddy looked at the Headmistress with some hesitancy and mouthed, "Checked out?"

The Headmistress shook her head and said, "Gone."

Madam Pince continued ranting and raving, indignant her territory had been violated so. 

Teddy snapped his fingers to get Madam Pince's attention and signalled for her to show them where the books had been. 

She took them to the four different spots. They did fingerprint retrieval charms, forensic detection charms and body sensory charms. As James had figured, they brought up nothing conclusive. James doubted even once the evidence was analyzed at the Ministry that they'd find anything. The library was too full of students to even get a good set of fingerprints. Even the Restricted Section – which wasn't that hard to get into anyway – was full of fingerprints, fibres, and hair. 

They left the library with little hope of a lead, Madam Pince still raging, and a list of the books that were missing: _Cure for the Common Curse and the Not So Common Effects_ , _Healing Arts Moste Ancient_ , _Irate Incantations_ , and _Muggle Tales For Children._

**

The Ministry was eerily quiet. It was after normal business hours but there was always someone working. Most witches and wizards and their families were in the safety zones and only those truly needed had come in to work. As James and Teddy walked to the command centre that had been set up in one of the Ministry meeting rooms, James felt more at ease. 

Still not a word being spoken but the room was chaos. Hermione sat at a table reading every message, update or possible clue that came in. 

They slid her the piece of parchment stating that the books that had been taken. Hermione read the list then added it to a growing stack of parchment. She didn't spare Teddy and James a single glance. 

James leaned on the table to get Hermione to look at him. She snapped her head up and glared at him. James mouthed to Hermione, "Family?" 

Her expression softened and she grabbed a scrap of paper and wrote on it.

_Home. Safe. Al, too. Harry in field, back shortly. Go rest. Report back at 5 AM._

Teddy and James had been relieved of duty by Cowles and Kraus shortly after they’d left the library and already knew when they were to report back. 

As they walked towards the lifts Teddy elbowed James and gestured as if drinking. He mouthed, "food," and pointed to himself, mouthing, "My place?" 

James nodded. There wasn't a single thing on that list he was about to say no to. 

**

James had never actually been to Teddy's flat – well, not _this_ flat anyway. James remembered going to see Teddy's first flat when he was thirteen. It was a boggart, pixy and rat infested bed-sit that Harry took one glance at and simply said, "Don't let your grandmother see this." 

Before they started working together James only saw Teddy at his parents' house, and often, so James had never had occasion to see where Teddy lived. 

The lights flickered on as Teddy opened the door, and a pest-riddled dump it was not. For a second James wondered how much more Teddy made than he did, but then he recalled when Teddy's gran passed she had left everything to him. It wasn't over the top, but James knew that in this area of London a two bedroom flat and a living room this large was not cheap. 

Teddy tossed everything from his pockets on a table right by the door. Wallet, Marauder's Map, and a couple pebbles he had picked up while walking around the lake. He took off his robe and threw it over the back of a chair and tucked his wand into his trouser pocket as he walked into the kitchen. James could hear him clattering around. 

As James tentatively stepped into the kitchen Teddy was rummaging through the fridge throwing container after container of take out into the rubbish bin. James leaned against the counter waiting for Teddy to finish. When he finally stepped from the fridge he had eggs in his hands. He held them up, silent asking if that was fine with James.

James yawned widely and nodded. 

Teddy moved around quite frenetically again, getting out bread and banging pans together as he looked for the right one. He almost burned himself when he lit the burner because he turned the gas on too high.

_Christ_ , did Teddy even know how to cook? James couldn't even be bothered to try and stop him. All this action and no talking suddenly made James feel quite tired and done with it all. 

He rested his head against the cupboard door and huffed loudly. 

Teddy stopped and looked at James, hands on his hips, and mouthed, "What?"

James took out his wand and quickly scrawled in the air, _Not talking has made me tired. Or maybe because I've been up since before 4._

Teddy held up his finger like he had an idea. He turned off the stove and walked out of the kitchen. James heard glass clanking in the living and then Teddy returned with two glasses and an almost full bottle of American whisky. He set the bottle and glasses on the counter and leaned down to untie his boots, gesturing for James to do the same. 

James took off his boots, robes, unbuttoned his waistcoat, and rolled up his shirtsleeves. He didn't think he'd reached the point in his relationship with Teddy that he was allowed to stand naked in his kitchen, even if he wanted to. Surprisingly, Teddy was wearing less than James, but it was his house. 

Teddy poured them each a measure of whisky, wearing nothing but shirt and trousers which sagged precariously on his hips now that his belt had been removed. 

He handed James a glass and mouthed, "Better?" 

James nodded and clinked glasses with Teddy. 

They both took a slow drink and then immediately Teddy started to move again. James huffed. 

Teddy stopped and turned around. James held up his hands for Teddy to stop, just stop. He wanted to enjoy this for a moment. James wanted to say that but _God damn it all_. 

Teddy took out his wand and quickly wrote in the air. _If you could talk what would you say right now?_

The black letters still hung in the air as James responded, _What's wrong with you? You're fidgety._

Teddy took a deep drink from his glass then looked down and away. The words had faded from the air before Teddy replied, pointing to James, his lips saying, "You." And then he pointed down and added, "Here." 

The words shot from James' wand as quickly as if they were coming from his mouth. _You were fine at my parents' last night and god damn it, you were fine when you kissed me today._

Teddy read the words twice. James could see him deliberating over them. Slowly wrote his reply in the air. _I go back and forth._

James banged his hand flat on the counter and silently yelled, "Make a bloody decision!"

He didn't know if Teddy got every word but he gleaned the meaning well enough. He strode across the distance between them, grabbed James, and kissed him. In his very confused and suddenly lust-filled mind, James noticed Teddy hadn't even bothered to put down his glass before kissing him. 

James tilted his chin down to better meet Teddy's kiss. Teddy kissed him deeper, teasing James' tongue with the tip of his. James pulled Teddy closer, threading his fingers through Teddy's hair, gripping the back of his shirt and kissing him back with everything he had. Finally! No talking needed to do this properly!

Teddy broke the kiss just as James heard him set his glass down on the counter behind him. Teddy leaned back, tugging his shirt over his head, and threw it in the corner along with their boots. Teddy pulled James to him once again, devouring his mouth. 

Teddy tried undoing James' buttons but James held him too close. Teddy pulled back again to make quick work of James' clothes. Standing in Teddy's kitchen with Teddy, wearing only his knee length trousers, almost panting as he grabbed at James' clothes. Oh God, it was better than he'd imagined.

Buttons undone, and some possibly scattered across the floor, Teddy pulled James to him again, bringing their chests – skin on skin – together. James sighed heavily as Teddy held either side of his head to kiss him. He stepped closer to James, pressing his hips to James' thigh. Oh God! 

James pushed his hips back. Yes, he was hard like Teddy, and yes, he wanted more too. 

Teddy pushed one hand down the waist of James' trousers and tugged on them, pulling James with him as he backed out of the kitchen. James rolled his hips. Teddy hand was so close and if he could just get - 

Teddy yanked harder and lowered his mouth, licking down the column of James' neck. James moaned as Teddy bit where his shoulder and neck met, but no sound came out. He held the back of Teddy's head, carding his fingers through his hair to show his approval. 

They made it to the corridor just outside Teddy's bedroom, and yes, James could see his bed. Is that where they were going? Merlin yes, James wanted to go there. 

James skated his hands down Teddy's body. Feeling the soft, gently curling hairs on his chest, and God, his chest was firm. James brushed the pad of his right thumb over Teddy's nipple. 

Teddy pushed James against the wall – rather forcefully – and kissed him again. 

James lowered his hands still further, over Teddy's stomach, feeling the flex and release of the wonderfully smooth muscles. Still further James moved his hands, one to the small of Teddy's back, pressing his hand flat to it, and the other lower. 

James palmed Teddy's cock, both of them gasping at the same time in reply. Christ, he couldn't believe he was groping and feeling Teddy like this. Teddy rocked his hips into the touch, desperate for more. 

Teddy pushed again, harder this time, causing the pictures hung on the wall to rattle. He then dropped to his knees, grabbing for the belt buckle just above James' right hip. Teddy tugged and pulled impatiently. All James could do was pant and stare down at him. Teddy was on his knees pulling at James' flies and dear God, he licked a long, slow line up the back of James' still clothed cock. 

Belt gone and trousers half open, Teddy yanked James' trousers and pants down to his thighs with one pull. 

James' cock bobbed against his belly. He reached down to grip it but Teddy pushed his hand away. He gave another slow lick up the back of James' cock, no barrier this time, tongue on flesh. James made a soundless groan and rocked his hips forward. 

Teddy looked up at James for a brief moment, his eyes dark pools, then pulled James into his mouth. Not slowly, but he took him as deep as he could, then took him deeper and deeper. James felt the heat of Teddy's soft pallet surrounding the head of his cock. 

Teddy sucked in a smooth, even rhythm. It felt so fucking good James threw his head back and tried not to buck his hips. God, he just wanted to fuck Teddy's mouth, pull his hair and fuck him and come and come, and he wasn't even embarrassed, it was Teddy, and he wanted to come now and not pretend that he could wait. 

Teddy cupped James' balls and gave them a slow squeeze. Oh God! James' legs shook with the effort of holding still, and his damned socks were slipping on the wood floor. Teddy looked up at him but James couldn't read the look, not when the only bit he could focus on was his cock sliding in and out of Teddy's so fucking talented mouth. 

Reaching up with his free hand, Teddy grabbed for James' hand, which he held flat to the wall. Holding it tightly by the wrist, Teddy put James' hand on the back of his head and pushed on it. 

Oh. Oh! That's what he wanted. 

James bucked his hips once, and Teddy nodded and sucked harder. Oh God, yes. James held tight to Teddy's head, doing his best not to pull his hair, and pushed his hips to Teddy's face. Thrusting his cock harder and faster down Teddy's throat.

Teddy bobbed quicker and rubbed that place just behind James' balls. Christ! That was it, he was done for. James closed his eyes and thrust and thrust, riding out his orgasm as he came down Teddy's throat. Every curse word and exclamation silent on his lips as he came. 

James felt like he'd run ten miles. His legs shook and he couldn’t catch his breath, his heart hammering in his chest, and he was sweating. 

Teddy released him from his mouth and stood and kissed James, come still bitter on his tongue. James wrapped his arms around him, afraid he would fall if he didn't, and kissed Teddy slow and deep. 

Pulling away, Teddy took James by the hand and led him the last few steps to the bedroom. James yanked up his pants so as not the ruin the moment by tripping and falling on his face. 

One torch lit in a far corner flickered on as they crossed the threshold. Teddy undid the buttons of his trousers and slid his pants and trousers down his legs then kicked them away. Even in the dim light, with Teddy's back to him, James could make out the muscular dips on either side of his high, tight, round arse. James didn't know what Teddy's training regimen was but he was going to start prescribing to it, as that was the best arse he'd ever seen, and yes, he had checked out his own arse in a mirror more than once. 

Just as James was about to reach out and touch Teddy's arse, Teddy turned around. And if his arse was a wonder to behold then his cock was something else. Long and straight and Merlin, it was thick. His balls, not yet drawn up, made James' mouth water. He’d never had a thing for sucking on balls but he did now. 

They kissed again, slow and steady, Teddy pushing James' open shirt and waistcoat from his shoulders, letting them fall to the ground. He pressed his hands across James' collarbones and down his arms, stopping above his elbows.

Lower Teddy reached, pushing James' trousers and pants off once and for all. 

Teddy turned James and pushed him to the bed. James fell back, reclining on his elbows, looking up at Teddy standing over him. A glimpse of a smile flitted across Teddy's face as he noticed James' socks were still on. James reached down and pulled them off as fast as he could. This won him a full smile from Teddy. James' heart skipped a beat. He loved Teddy's smile. 

He silently cursed himself. He just got the blow job of his life and was on Teddy's bed getting ready to do Merlin knew what and here he was missing heart beats over a smile. It was a damn fine smile though. 

With one little movement of his chin, Teddy gestured for James to move further back on the bed. Teddy began crawling over him as he did. He stopped so that he stood on all fours over James, cock bobbing up and down, the head damp. 

Teddy reached to James' face and combed his fingers through James' hopeless hair, down to his ear, and traced his fingers down his sideburn. He rubbed his knuckles across the stubble of James' cheek, looking James in the eyes the entire time. 

He drew his hand down James' neck to his chest. James noticed for the first time he had more hair on his chest than Teddy. Even the tops of Teddy's legs had less hair than James'. How was that even possible for the son of a werewolf? Maybe it was because Teddy's skin was darker than James' and his hair was lighter. James' black hair stood out against his pale skin. 

Past the dark straight hairs, Teddy moved his hand to one of James' nipples, giving it a small twist. Oh fuck, James was going to be hard again in a minute if Teddy kept touching him like that. 

Teddy's eyes seemed to be taking in every inch of James' body. Suddenly James felt self-conscious, and wanted to curl in on himself. He wanted to be perfect to Teddy. Like all Potters, James had the tendency towards skinniness, but until now he thought being older had filled him out a bit, and all the training had given him muscles he would have killed for at sixteen. Maybe he was still too skinny though? What If Teddy thought so? 

James tried to push those worries from his head and focus on Teddy's touch. The way he   
pressed the pads of his thumbs against those muscles as his fingers traced down the sides of them to James' belly. Then Teddy brushed the hair on James' stomach with his knuckles, going lower still to James' already half-interested cock. 

Reaching that point Teddy moved up and then leaned down, kissing James softly on the lips and reaching out to hold James' hand. Their fingers laced together. Such a simple touch made James' heart beat faster. 

Teddy moved down James' body again, touching with his tongue and mouth this time. Slowly he licked down James' stomach, and lower still. What was he going to do? Blow James again? 

James sighed with contentment and rested his hands on Teddy's head. But Teddy only stopped for a moment by James' cock. He nuzzled close to James' balls and took a long slow breath through his nose. James' flesh pebbled in reply. 

Teddy's hands pressed against the inside of James' thighs, urging them apart. Teddy slid his hands up the back of James' legs and brought them to rest holding James' arse. With Teddy's urging, James tilted his hips. 

The first pass of Teddy's tongue made James jump. It surprised him and yeah, he should have expected it but he hadn't. Teddy tried again but James was clenching his arse cheeks together despite himself. 

He wanted Teddy to do that, to him, lick him, eat him, whatever Teddy wanted to call it. He wanted Teddy to do everything to him, but wanting that and putting that into practice were two different things. 

Teddy moved from between James' legs and sat back on his heels. James was afraid to look at him. Teddy surely had no patience for this and was going to chuck James out of his bed. James was no coward though, and he turned his head to face Teddy. Shockingly, Teddy didn't look angry at all. Even in the dim light James could tell he looked somewhere between amused and concerned. 

The muscles in Teddy's jaw jumped as he gritted his teeth, then huffed in frustration. Obviously he wanted to say something but that wasn't going to work now. Teddy gestured towards James' arse with an open hand and then held up one finger and raised his brows. 

It took James a second to get all of that, and oh no! Right, Teddy thought this was his first time doing this. 

James laughed silently and shook his head. Nope, this was not his first time on this ride. James was by no means any sort of virgin. He had done plenty of everything. But…but he had never much enjoyed bottoming and had only done so twice, years ago when he was still at school. He'd felt uncomfortable, like he was being hammered, not pleasured. James liked to think when he topped, which was usual for him when it came to this, it was a great experience for both parties. He had never been led to think otherwise. 

As far as someone licking his arse, he'd only experimented with that briefly. It was nice but it was so intimate, and if James wasn't going to let someone penetrate him then why would he let them spend hours licking his arse? 

Everything Teddy had done tonight was far more intimate than James was used to. The quick blowjob, that was more James' speed, but everything else? The touching, the gazing, the moving slow – that wasn't how he did this on a regular basis. 

He hadn't had a boyfriend since he was in school and even then it was a race to see how fast they could get off. 

How could James communicate all this to Teddy? Tell him yes, he wanted Teddy to do that but he was scared and nervous. He didn't know how to act when that was being done to him and he didn't now how to respond to Teddy looking at him the way he did. 

James held out one hand and shook it slightly, signalling to Teddy he was a little nervous. With a smile that was too kind for words, Teddy nodded. He understood. He then pressed his fingers into James' thighs and moved them down towards his knees, kneading the strong muscles. Keeping his eyes on James' "It's…o…k. It's…o…k," Teddy silently said, his full pink lips slowly surrounding each uttered syllable. 

Taking a deep breath, Teddy then mouthed, "Slow. Slow. Slow." 

James returned Teddy's smile, nodded, and told himself to relax as Teddy lowered his head between James' legs. James squeezed his eyes tight, wanting to relax. It was Teddy and he could trust Teddy. 

It was also Teddy! And what if he did something wrong? Or tasted wrong? It had been a sweaty day walking around the grounds. 

None of that seemed to bother Teddy at the moment, as he was slowly caressing James' arse cheeks apart. 

He licked slowly, tentatively across James' tender flesh this time, and he did it again and then slowly again. It actually was nice and felt good, and still James urged himself to relax more as Teddy took a broader pass. 

Teddy urged James' knees up to cant his hips towards Teddy's mouth. He pressed his thumbs between James' cheeks, pulling them apart to lick him deeper. After one more pass of his tongue, James felt Teddy's mouth kissing and sucking. Oh Christ, that was good. James moaned as Teddy licked more and interspersed those licks with long, sucking kisses. James spread his legs wider, arched his back more. He was grateful for the silence because he was sure he was moaning like a whore at the moment. 

Teddy fucking him with his tongue and sent waves of pleasure through his body that James only expected if a mouth was on his cock not his arse. James was sure he could come again just from this. He thought for a moment about touching himself to get off again. He kept his hands buried in the sheets though, balling them up in his fists. He didn't want to come so soon and have it all be over. 

More and more, Teddy licked and James pushed his arse against Teddy's face. Rocking his hips, urging Teddy further. He wanted Teddy's tongue in every inch of him. He felt the soft, moist brush of Teddy's lips, the strong, insistent push of his tongue and the occasional brush of Teddy's stubbled chin that drew a shiver from James every time. 

James could hear Teddy's feet slipping against the sheets as he scrabbled for purchase to push further. He pushed his hands between the bed and James' thighs then up so he was gripping James' arse cheeks and his shoulders were pushing on the back of James' thighs. He pulled James to him, angling him closer. 

Teddy's tongue breached James' entrance, and if that wasn't enough to make him see stars, Teddy pushed one finger in with it. Fuck! That was amazing. James pushed down on Teddy's hand, wanting more. 

Teddy kept one finger pushed inside James, thrusting, and looked up at James. He pointed with his right hand to the bedside table. James, still wanting to fuck Teddy's finger just like that, moved and strained, reaching into the drawer for the only thing Teddy could want right now. 

He fingers brushed Teddy's as he passed him the bottle. Teddy took the momentary distraction to push his finger in as far as it could surely go, and James arched his back and moaned, caught off guard. 

Teddy flipped the bottle open with his thumb then poured a puddle of oil right over James' navel. James moaned in want as Teddy pulled his hand from James and rolled his fingers in the lube. 

He pushed two fingers into James immediately. James arched his back and pushed back on to Teddy. Teddy fucked him open with his fingers, scissoring them and pushing them back and forth. He added a third, and lights burst behind James' eyes. Yes! Yes! This was – oh God, yes, this was good. 

James tried to roll to his belly to push his arse up in the air. It was the best way he could think of to tell Teddy, _put your fucking cock in me now because God I want you to fuck me_. Teddy stopped him halfway, so that James was on his side. He pulled his hand out, reached for his own cock, and slowly worked it, slicking it before he pushed into James. 

Some other time, perhaps, James would ask Teddy just to kneel over him like this and wank because it was the best thing he'd ever seen. Teddy's thick cock pressing slowly through his hands, which were the most amazing hands of all time as far as James was concerned. It was good Teddy had the most amazing hands of all time, because they went well with his amazing mouth and tongue. 

James rolled to his hands and knees. He wanted Teddy to take him this way so he could wrap his hand around James' cock and bring him off. He looked over his shoulder as Teddy knelt between his legs, his hair wild and he parted his lips, breathing heavily through them. His eyes fluttered shut as James felt the head of his cock push against him. Teddy stopped and seemed to be waiting for James' permission. James dropped to his forearms, pushing his arse up further. 

James cried out without a sound as Teddy pushed the head of his cock in. He tilted his hips back, wanting more. Teddy pulled back and then, with one big push, fully entered James. _Christ_ , it stretched and it burned and his muscles tensed but it felt so fucking perfect. 

Slowly Teddy rocked back and forth, taking his time settling into a rhythm. He wrapped his arms around James' waist, bringing his chest to James' back. James felt him place an open-mouthed kiss along his spine. James closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to feel everything in this moment.

Teddy rolled his hips steadily, every stroke making James want more and more. Teddy laced his fingers through James' hair, and James arched into the touch. He would never get enough of Teddy touching him like that. 

Teddy slid his fingers down James' back, bringing them to a rest on James' hips. Teddy thrust his hips sharply and pushed back, wanting it again. Teddy angled James' hips differently and thrust sharply again. James silently cried out, _God that spot!_ Teddy did it again. James reached for his sadly neglected cock and began stroking in time with Teddy. 

Teddy's thrusts sped to an almost erratic pace. The wonderfully vulgar sound of their skin slapping skin filled the air. Teddy hauled James to him and fucked him faster and harder. James pushed back, riding Teddy's cock, wanting it to split him in two. 

Teddy wrapped his left hand around James' waist and grabbed hold of his cock. James started coming almost immediately. He was still pulsing with orgasm as he heard a heavy sigh behind him and warmth filled his body as Teddy came. James' arse throbbed around Teddy's cock. 

It was sweaty, hot and sticky as James dropped to the bed, Teddy, cock still in him, falling on top of him. 

Teddy stayed in James for what felt like an eternity, not that James minded, and only slid out of him when he was flaccid again. Teddy rolled to his side and lay alongside James' prone body. 

Gently, Teddy traced lines on James' back as James slowly drifted off. 

**

During the night James woke from dreams that were filled with voices. People talking talking talking, but it didn’t matter now. He wanted them all to be quiet so he could find someone because he was lost. 

Confused and thick headed, he rolled over to go back to sleep. His movement must have woken Teddy, who moved over and pressed close to James' side. He leaned over and whispered something in James' ears. James couldn’t hear the words but he knew what Teddy was saying. 

_Want you again._

It was slow, rhythmic and very sweaty. With him on his back, legs spread wide, heels digging into the mattress as Teddy entered him. 

Teddy held tight to his hips, raising them again and again to meet every thrust. 

Tenderly, they touched and kissed, drinking each other in.

When James woke up the next morning in the very early light, his stomach grumbling from hunger, he was annoyed his body needed food and that he couldn't stay in the bed forever and just live off of Teddy.

James looked to his right. No Teddy. Distantly, he heard Teddy in the kitchen, and the scent of brewing coffee reached his nose. His stomach gave another loud grumble. The smell of food must have been what woke him. 

James stretched and yawned, not ready to get up quite yet. His hands brushed against the solid wood headboard behind him. He turned and looked up. Last night he hadn't even noticed what Teddy's bed looked like, although to be fair, the only thing that had mattered last night was that it _was_ a bed. It was a rather comfy bed at least. 

James looked around, taking in his surroundings. The sheets and duvet were all white and fluffy, which gave James the distinct impression of sleeping in a cloud. He scanned the room: a desk, a wardrobe, a two-way red brick fireplace, the bedroom door, and another door to the bath. 

There was one bedside table on the side where Teddy had slept. A clock vied for space with a small stack of books. James wondered vaguely what Teddy was reading until his attention was stolen by the other items in the room. There were a few paintings on the walls, some that James recognized had once belonged to Teddy's gran, all landscapes. One with long sea grass blowing in an ocean breeze and another of an orchard where the trees bloomed, bore fruit, turned red, and lost their leaves according to the seasons. 

In the grey, pre-dawn light, James could make out that one of the pictures on Teddy's mantel was of his family. Or did Teddy consider it _their_ family? Every reason in the world he should. Except maybe it was best James not think about that aspect of their relationship just now. He didn't think his dad would be too pleased to find out James was shagging Teddy, who was not only his newly minted Auror partner but also someone he’d been raised alongside of. 

He wondered what exactly the rules and regulations were when it came to fraternizing between partners. He didn't have a doubt it wasn't allowed but how were those rules spelled out exactly? It wasn't enough just to say 'no.' There had to be specifics. 

Was handholding allowed or no handholding? Kissing, was that off limits? What about just kissing with the lips, no tongue? And certainly they would have to spell out each sexual act. No insertion into any body part, whether it was oral, anal or vaginal. Did that mean he could go down on Teddy as long as he only licked Teddy's cock and did not suck it? 

Going down on Teddy…now _that_ was a thought. 

He heard Teddy's feet padding down the corridor and turned his eyes to the door. Teddy walked into the room carrying two steaming mugs. He wore only his pants, and James could see the curve of his balls and part of the line of his shaft. 

Blowing Teddy was most definitely a good thought. 

James scooted up the bed to sit and take a mug from Teddy. Teddy smiled at him and handed him a cup of tea that already had milk in it. 

They both took a slow sip of their drinks at the same time. Teddy then touched his stomach and raised his brow at James. 

James nodded. Yes, he was hungry. 

Teddy's eyes flicked to the clock. They were due back at the Ministry in less than thirty minutes, they had to get going. 

**

Something had changed in Teddy. He wouldn't look at James and was almost being the bastard he had been on James' first day. 

Breakfast had gone well enough. They were both so famished they shovelled their toast and eggs into their mouths and hardly spared one another a look. Teddy had already showered while James was asleep. Maybe he was being a twat because he was tired, James wondered. 

Teddy's mood shifted the moment James had showed Teddy he was ready to go. James had been impressed with himself for using a charm Uncle Bill had taught him for making your clothes look fresh and clean. Uncle Bill said he had used it for years working in dusty, hot Egypt but James figured a bloke like Uncle Bill had a lot of experience with his clothes balled up in someone else's quarters. 

He had walked out of the bathroom to show Teddy how good his pseudo freshly pressed uniform looked. Teddy, who was standing in front of the wardrobe mirror fiddling with the buttons of his waistcoat, looked at James, his eyes initially bright and with a grin on his lips. But then he looked James up and down and his face darkened. He looked away and crouched down to tighten the buckle at the top of his boot. When he stood, he looked at James again and glowered. He gave James one last dark look as he fastened his robes and hadn't looked at James since. 

They had reported to the Ministry at the appropriate time. No break had been made in the case and panic was rising. After they sat through a tedious update directed by Hermione, Harry had grabbed them and sent them off to check up on some information that had come from the Muggle police. 

There was a report from several people in a Kensington neighbourhood that there was a young girl in a "cape" walking around the street at all hours and possibly breaking and entering into flats. No theft had occurred though. 

If James was right then the report was nothing and the high-strung people of Kensington just didn't like the look of the person. It was regular MLE tripe to check up on this sort of thing, but apparently they were all working elsewhere and Harry still wanted them to check it out no matter what.

Teddy knew the safe spot to Apparate into the area and James did not, so they had to side-along. It physically hurt as he grabbed Teddy's arm and Teddy looked forcefully away. 

They walked slowly but purposefully down the street the majority of the reports had come from. No doubt their presence would alarm the neighbourhood of more "freaks" in the area but that wasn't their problem. 

As they walked, James wanted just once for Teddy to look at him. Look at him the way he had last night and earlier this morning. It would reassure him, make him feel better. But no, Teddy kept his eyes everywhere but on James.

James remembered that they were working, and maybe Teddy was trying to focus on that instead of his sex god of a partner. It was hard though because the expression on Teddy’s face didn't exactly make James feel like a sex god. 

They looked for any trace of magic, anything not quite right. They couldn't question the residents of the neighbourhood so they had to rely completely on their senses. They waited for a delivery truck to pull out in front of them before they continued down the street. In the momentary pause, James felt something, a shimmer on his skin. He turned around, cocking his head as if listening for something very faint. 

There it was, right there, one building back; the white one with the black iron railings. 

James nudged Teddy and nodded pointedly at the building. Teddy wrinkled his brows and turned and walked back with James. 

Yes, this was it. James could feel something here. It could be that a wizard lived here was all, but there was something. 

Teddy gave James a nod of approval. He must have felt it too. 

They quickly unlocked the entrance to the building and walked in. Standing in the hall, Teddy performed a series of spells to detect possible traps, wards or other dangerous magic. He shook his head and mouthed, "Nothing." 

James studied a bank of post boxes to see if any of the names looked familiar. No, but two of the flats didn't have a name associated with them. They would check those first. 

The first one was just one floor up, and before they even got to the door James _knew_ this was it. Magic bled from the place. 

Teddy knocked firmly on the door but there was no answer. 

Sometimes in Auror training, James learned the stupidest, most mindless shit. Things that numbed his mind but he had to pay attention to anyway. One of those things was hand signals. Never in his life did he think he would be in a situation in which hand signals were needed. He was wrong, because Teddy held up a two then a fist then a single finger and lastly an open hand. 

James got the message. He was to go through the back while Teddy went through the front. 

He went down the stairs and outside to the west side of the building to climb through the window. He counted two up and four over. That would be the one. James was pretty certain he could get to the first floor by climbing on the ledges of the windows. 

He secured his wand and was about to start climbing when he heard voices coming down the ally. At the other end stood two elderly people, a man and a woman, having some sort of disagreement about garden space. James couldn't climb in now unless he stunned them, or disillusioned himself and hoped he made no noise. He could, he had always been ballsy, but there was a difference between ballsy and stupid. Now was not the time to be stupid. 

He'd have to go back to the door. He couldn't leave his partner alone. What if he was already in danger?

James rushed back inside to the door. Teddy was already inside. He waved his wand, silently unlatching the door, and stepped into the flat, soundlessly closing the door behind him. 

Every curtain in the flat was drawn, casting it in a spooky light that he associated with a dungeon. Embers glowed bright in the fireplace, and something about that drew him to it. It didn't _smell_ like a fire in here. 

To the northeast corner he could see the kitchen and hear Teddy searching it. There must not have been anyone else in the flat so James didn't bother with a human detection spell. 

He held his hand over the embers of the fire. No heat was coming from them at all. He took out his wand and began tapping the stone bricks, testing them. He hit one and the false bottom dropped out of the Floo. A cauldron and empty bottles tumbled out at him, and he ducked out of the way just in time. 

The cauldron hit the ground, making a thundering crash. 

He heard Teddy come running out of the kitchen. James swirled on his heel and as Teddy came charging round the corner, wand pointed straight at him, James threw up his hands and yelled "No! No! It's me! It's me!" but no sound came out. 

Teddy lowered his wand and glared at James, who slowly dropped his arms and smiled. James tried to point at the window and explain the fireplace, to explain the sound, but gave up and just started laughing and playfully nudged Teddy. Teddy shoved him back. 

James looked at Teddy furiously. What the hell? He hadn't meant to scare Teddy. 

Teddy returned James' furious look and balled his hand into a fist. 

That was it, James was done. If it was a fight Teddy wanted then it was a fight Teddy would get. He was through with trying to understand how or why Teddy was treating him this way. He was through with Teddy's moods and temper. It was an accident, for fuck's sake. James had lost the last fight he’d had with Teddy years ago, but he looked at Teddy, showing that he had every intention of not losing this one. 

James liked to think that as he fought with Teddy, each blow meant something, that with every hit he was telling Teddy something, but the last clear thought James had before he ducked Teddy's first punch and a wave of rage washed over him was this: Teddy could not bring him to his bed and then push him away like a boy with a crush, and James was going to beat the shit out of him for acting that way.

Teddy may have taken the first swing but James made the first blow, punching Teddy in the belly while he ducked. Teddy gasped but was able to slam his elbow into the back of James' head. 

It wasn't a good time fighting with someone as well trained in hand-to-hand combat as you were, but James was sure he had the advantage. Teddy had been at the job longer but James had been in his share of schoolyard brawls, something he doubted Teddy had ever participated in. James was more combative, and he knew himself well enough to know that. 

Teddy hit him square in the mouth. James countered hitting him with his left then right. Teddy hit him back, harder than before, but it only goaded James on. James punched Teddy in the chest, the blow sending lightning bolts of pain through James' hand, but he was too adrenaline-fuelled to stop now so he quickly punched Teddy with his unhurt hand. James hit Teddy in the nose, knowing the kind of pain that shot through one's body, but that didn't only hurt Teddy. James' hand felt like it had burst into flames. He couldn't keep hitting Teddy if it felt that way. James was about to grab him to pull him to the ground when he heard a scream and was suddenly thrown backwards. 

His head throbbed with adrenaline. Nothing hurt…yet. He turned to see who had broken up their fight. 

Rose ran across the room to stand between them, wand ready to take care of either of them should they make the wrong move. James stood first and swayed slightly. God, his hand hurt. He wondered if he’d broken something. 

Saliva and blood pooled in his mouth. He felt along the inside of his bottom lip with his tongue and found that it was almost split clean through. 

He looked down at Teddy, who had yet to get up. His face already swollen and he was bleeding profusely from his nose. One brow looked bruised already. He looked like hell. Good. 

James looked him dead in the eye and spit hot thick blood mixed with saliva on the floor. 

He turned to go but Rose ran and grabbed him. What was she doing here anyway? Someone must have sent her to find them. 

She signalled for James to let her heal his face. He shook his head forcefully. He would live with his wounds. 

Teddy wouldn't let Rose heal him either. He clutched his nose as he walked quickly away and out the door. Despite the blood still rushing in his ears, James could hear Teddy's boots clicking all the way down the stairs, out the door and onto the pavement. Then he was really gone. 

**

James charmed the steam from the mirror in the bathroom to investigate the damage. He had showered, cleared his face of dried sweat and blood, and allowed the swelling to sink in to see what needed to be fixed. The rest he would leave. 

As he investigated the…external damage, he wondered if Teddy had reported back to the Ministry of their findings. James wasn't going to do it; Teddy was the senior partner, not to mention a fucking bastard, and it was his job to make sure all that reporting back crap was taken care of. 

The worst of the damage was just as James had suspected at the time and then again in the long hot shower he’d taken. He had broken the knuckle of his middle finger. Bruises blossomed all around it and it was stuck at such an awkward angle James would _have_ to find someone else to fix it. 

His lip was also pretty bad off. It was swollen to twice its normal size and an angry red. He reached for the bottle of purple potion to clean his cuts before he healed them. Using a piece of cotton he dabbed it onto the side of his right eye and hissed at the sting. He immediately regretted hissing, as it made his lip ache and throb. 

He dipped a narrow swab into the potion, steeling himself to clean his lip. He looked at himself in the mirror, pulled open his lip, and was almost sick at the sight of it: a cut straight across his lip and, just as he had thought, almost clean through. He closed his eyes and quickly brushed the swab against the cut. 

GOD! FUCK! That hurt. 

James pounded the basin with the palm of his left hand, trying to not scream and letting the burning pass. 

Eyes watering, James looked back in the mirror to survey the rest of the damage. He had dittany to heal the cuts and hopefully reduce the bruising, but it wasn't the best. His lip wouldn't scar if he had a proper healing charm to go along with the dittany. He could go find Al, who was a dab hand at such things. Why he'd taken a job on the Knight Bus instead of as a Healer in training, James still didn't know. 

Al could also fix his knuckle. Yeah, he should go find him. But he'd have to be sneaky since Al was probably at their parents' house and James didn't want his mum catching sight of him first. 

James hadn't given Al a thought since this whole business started. The not talking must have been driving him round the twist. Al was always flapping his gums. He could never shut the fuck up. Even as a child he was always talking. James would go find Al and push his buttons over and over till Al got to the point where he was screaming at James, which wouldn't actually work and only entertained James more. Of course now James would only antagonize him after Al had healed him up. 

A silent Al… _heaven_.

Wait. Silent. No screaming. 

Rose. She had screamed when she found James and Teddy fighting, right before they were blasted apart, and James hadn't even realized. And Rose had never even explained why she was there. James hadn't even given her appearance a second thought. 

James grabbed the bottle of dittany, swished it around his mouth while he quickly wiped some over his face. He spit the potion into the sink and then ran to get dressed. His hand would have to wait. 

**

James had tried to remember the Apparation point but he ended up slightly off. He blamed it on his hand and the worry over Apparating with such an injury. It turned out that, other than landing in a skip rather than behind it, he had done all right, hand and all. 

He was just climbing out of the trash when he heard the pop of someone Apparating behind him. 

James quickly fired off a Patronus Charm, not wanting to scare anyone or have someone accidentally hex him. He'd had enough of creeping up on people for the day. Before James could see the person come out from behind the skip, the person cast their own Patronus in reply. 

It was Teddy. 

As Teddy circled around and James hopped onto the pavement, they came face to face. 

Teddy had showered as well. His hair was still damp but either he hadn't taken the time to heal his face – save for his nose – or James had hit him far worse than he’d realized. One eye was almost completely swollen shut. 

James was immediately sick with regret. He was going to try and say sorry when Teddy pointed to his face and mouthed, "Nothing?" 

"Dittany," James mouthed back, and then held up his hand to show the damage. 

Teddy winced and replied, "No dittany." Probably meaning he was out and so had to live with what he had. 

James reached for Teddy's chin, hoping he wouldn't push him away. Teddy didn't. He let James hold his chin as James pressed his wand just above Teddy’s eye, closed his own eye, and focused on the healing spell. He'd never done it silently but was certain he could. 

The swelling reduced almost completely and the bruising was gone. Teddy opened his eyes, blinked a couple times, and smiled gratefully at James. 

He reached for James' hand and brought it to his mouth, gently kissing it. It was so swollen and gone by this point there was nothing either of them could do so the kiss couldn't possibly mend the break but somehow it healed other parts of James. 

He couldn't believe that one gesture could make all the ugliness go away but it did. 

Slowly dropping James' hand, Teddy mouthed, "Rose." Yes, clearly they had come to the same conclusion. James nodded and they walked side by side back to the flat they investigated earlier. 

The sun was starting to set, creating long shadows in front of them as they quickly walked. Two people passed them on the street but gave them hardly a moment's notice. They had both arrived wearing their normal clothes, jeans and a t-shirt. Teddy's was of a wizarding rock band but no one would know the difference. 

They got to the building, and the brush of magic from the place had been replaced by a full cascade of it. James worried about Rose, what had she got herself into? 

Quickly they climbed the stairs and hurried to the first floor flat. 

A situation as potentially dangerous as this one wasn't something two Aurors were supposed to handle on their own. This sort of serious shit probably called for back up, at least. The Aurors were stretched thin though, and credible back up could not be afforded. The last thing James and Teddy wanted was a bunch of MLE desk clerks helping out. Besides, they couldn't wait for all that. They needed to go in _now_. 

Teddy signalled to James that, once through the door, James would take the east and north and Teddy himself would take west and north. They would put a charm up before they broke down the door so that no one would be able to enter from behind them, from the south. 

Tactically, James should have been the first one through the door. He was taller, a better shield for whoever followed. (It almost went without saying that the infiltration tactics part of Auror training hadn't been James' favourite. Human shield indeed.) But with James' injured hand, Teddy didn't want any of that, or at least that's what Teddy indicated to him. 

Wands at the ready, Teddy nodded his head _one….two…_ and on three, Teddy blew the door off its hinges and charged in, James right behind him. There was a scream and someone shouted " _Protego!_ " James' eyes were immediately drawn to the fire and steaming cauldron in the fireplace, and just to the left of that the person who had screamed, huddled under her robes with her shield charm around her. 

James knew those robes and the tiny shaking figure beneath them. He almost dropped his wand as he silently said her name. "Rose?" 

He looked to Teddy, who was staring at Rose in shock as well, his wand dangling in his hand. 

She saw it was them and slowly stood, though she was still clearly shaken. Her hair was mostly pulled up, but what wasn't hung in long, damp curls around her face. With her very pale complexion, it gave her the look of drowned animal. 

"Oh, good, it's just you two. We can keep this quiet then." Rose strode to the door behind them and with her wand put it back on its hinges, closed it, and sealed it. "This should only take me a few more hours at most. Have a seat." The words were spoken so quickly that James hardly caught them all. She was talking and moving at a manic rate. 

James didn't know if it was because it had been over two days since he had heard someone speak to him, but what Rose was saying sounded mad. 

Rose kneeled in front of the cauldron, took a deep breath, and started adding ingredients again. James and Teddy stood there like two gaping fish – some crack Auror duo they were. 

"God, Jamie, so happy you're here. I'm exhausted. I've been up for days trying to fix this whole voice thing." 

That had to be it. Rose was just hiding in this empty flat in a Muggle neighbourhood trying to _fix_ everything. She had cured herself and now was working on doing the same for everyone else. 

"Teddy, you were a quite good with Runes, if I remember. Could you give me some help and read this to me while I add this camphor extract?" 

Rose looked up at Teddy, sweat glistening on her face. Teddy shook his head and pointed to his mouth. 

Rose laughed, a manic sort of laugh that scared James. He'd never seen her like this. This was like revising for a test on acid. 

"I've completely forgot. Silly me. Of course you have no voice. I took them. Took them all, didn't I? Good thing I did too, 'cause right now, James, if you had your voice, I would get an ear full from you. That's nothing compared to Mum. Can you imagine if she knew? Knew her daughter totally fucked up the entire wizarding world?" 

James caught Teddy's eye. He looked as thunderstruck as James felt. Rose didn't notice. She was muttering something into her potion and making a funny little circle over it with her wand. 

Rose suddenly looked up at them, her eyes wide and crazed. For a moment James thought she was going to do something to them but she only said, "Why are you two standing there? It will be awhile. Take a book and transfigure it into a sofa or something." 

James tucked his wand in his back pocket – he wasn't going to use it on Rose – and slowly walked to the pile of books next to her. Several of the spines James couldn't read since they were in Ancient Runes, though one title did jump out at him: _Muggle Tales For Children._ That was from the Hogwarts library. 

James pulled it from the stack and held it out in front of Rose. She looked up at him, and he raised his brows in question. 

"Hogwarts Library. Sneaked in the morning it all happened. God, I can't believe how hard it is to crawl through the witch's hump. Had to borrow books from there. Too hard to take them from the Ministry. I also had to get that Muggle one. You know, this whole losing your power thing, like the awful play Mum took me to." Rose looked back down at her potion like she was going to keep working on it but then she kept talking, her voice distant. "I couldn't stop thinking about it. Nightmares about it, and I was so tired at work I would almost daydream about it and get lost in the thought of it. So vile, cutting out your tongue, but even worse giving up your power." A single tear rolled down Rose's face. "Still exhausted over the whole thing. Haven't slept for what feels like a week. No matter. Whole thing will be over soon as I finish up here. Hopefully this one works." 

Rose was actually scaring him now. She sounded so unhinged and unlike herself that he was almost at a loss about what to do. All he could think was that she needed to be stopped and if anyone besides him did it they would probably hurt her. 

James slowly got to his knees and reached for Rose's hand. 

"Stop it, Jamie!" she hissed sharply, pulling her hand away. "I can do this. I can fix it and you aren't helping!" 

He grabbed her hands, both of them, and held them firmly in his. He looked her in the eye and shook his head. Tears filled her bloodshot eyes. As she tried to yank her hands away, she said through clenched teeth, "You have to let me. I can do it. I'm smart enough to do it. You can't come in here and ruin it all." 

Teddy, who thus far had faded from James' thoughts, came striding over and put the fire out with a stream of water from his wand. As the fire hissed and smoked, Rose completely broke down. James wrapped his arms around her, holding her as waves of sobs racked her body. 

James didn't say anything. He wouldn’t have even if he could. He just held her, let her cry herself out. 

By time she was done, the front of his shirt was soaked from her tears and there was maybe a bit of snot dripping from her nose. Rose leaned back and looked up at him, her face red and blotchy. 

"I…I can't fix it. I can't find any anti-curse. I have no idea what I did exactly."

Teddy kneeled down next to them and mouthed to Rose, "Start." 

Rose sat back on her heels and started at the beginning, all the way back to the play and how it sat in her mind. James only half listened to this part since he knew it already. Instead he looked at Teddy, who looked sympathetic and understanding. That face must have worked wonders on suspects. So kind. But James could tell by the curve of his mouth that he was dissecting every part of Rose’s story and looking for any hint of a clue. When had James noticed that was how Teddy's mouth looked when he was thinking? Yesterday at Hogwarts? Or was that something he had seen on Teddy before and he’d only now placed what it meant? 

He couldn't focus on that now. Rose was getting to the part James didn't know. 

"I've been working on Runes from the Incan civilization. Can't tell you exactly but that's what they are." Rose blinked at James and looked at Teddy, looking slightly annoyed. James raised his brows. Rose was in no position now to keep secrets. 

"Why are you two looking at me that way? It's got nothing to do with silencing charms, I swear. I would know what I did then. Before this all happened I was trying to put some Runes in order and then I fell asleep. I had the most terrible dream. Runes and mermaids and dismembered tongues. And I was screaming and screaming but no sound came out. When I woke up – " 

James put up his hand to stop Rose. There was something there. Teddy looked at James and raised his brow in question. James pointed to Rose then made a talking motion with his hand like he was making a shadow puppet of a duck. Then he closed his eyes and laid his head on his hands. 

James opened his eyes and Teddy looked like he knew exactly what James had said, which was a good thing because James didn't want to play charades all day. 

"What does me talking in my sleep have to do with anything?" Rose huffed. 

Teddy grabbed a book whose title was in some sort of ancient language. He pointed to Rose and then pointed at random symbols in the book. Yes! Teddy was with James. He thought the same thing James did. 

"I read a book in my sleep?" Rose looked utterly confused. James shook his head in forceful annoyance. She was supposed to be so clever. How could she not see what James and Teddy were so clearly seeing? 

James grabbed a book, turned to the last page, which was blank, and, using his wand, quickly wrote across it, his knuckle in agony the entire time. _You said an incantation in your sleep. Mixed with your dream_. James thrust the book at Rose. 

"What? Dream magic? No, dream magic is when a very young, untrained wizard dreams they have a puppy and their mum and dad wake up to find the child's transfigured a chair into a dog. Dream magic does not happen to _adults_." 

Teddy shook his head angrily. Rose still wasn't quite getting it. He grabbed the book away from her quickly, wrote beneath James' words, _You said some pattern of Runes in your sleep. It mixed with your dream. You. Said. Words. Summoned magic._ Teddy fiercely underlined the last two words. James beamed at him. Yes, that was exactly what had happened!

Rose read what Teddy wrote but it didn't seem to process. "No, that can't be it, because I'm fine. I lost my voice but it came back. If I had Summoned magic then I would still be under the effects." 

She looked to Teddy and James like they would have an answer to that. They both shrugged. That part James didn't get. Maybe she had solved something and didn't know it. 

James pointed to all the books and ingredients and the cauldron. Rose looked and shook her head. "No, I didn't fix me. I told you! I can't fix this! I've got nothing!" This drove Rose in to hysterics again. James pulled her to him, again. He wished she'd stop crying so they could get to the bottom of this but they couldn't push her. She was too fragile right now. 

Teddy stood and began pacing in a small circle, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing the back of his head. James very clearly saw him mouth, "Fuck. God damn fuck." 

James didn't have to ask. He knew what Teddy was thinking. This needed to be solved and Rose was no help, which meant they had to take her to the Ministry. This was not the sort of magic James and Teddy were trained to deal with. Taking Rose in would create more than a little stir. She would lose her job, maybe go to Azkaban, certainly have a trial. In the wake, her mother's job was on the line, Harry's job was at risk, Teddy and James' as well, and anyone else with the last name Weasley. Nepotism was a real bitch. 

As long as everyone else was OK, James didn't give a pixie crap about his job. Yes, he liked being an Auror, or at least he had enjoyed training enough. The on the job stuff had been a little rough thus far. Rose wasn't the only one who could fall from this though, and James was willing to take any heat for it he could manage. It was Rosie and it was an accident. He didn't want anything terrible to happen to her. 

No sense sitting here worrying about what might happen. James stood up, pulling Rose with him. 

"What are you doing?" Rose said through her tears. 

"Ministry," James mouthed. 

"Are you arresting me?" Rose whispered. Teddy shook his head no. "Oh good. A mug shot and prison. My mother would kill me if I went to Azkaban. "

James closed his eyes and a puff of laughter went through his nose. Rose would be lucky if she made it to Azkaban. Hermione would surely kill her first. 

**

James stood outside the interrogation room, looking intently through the one-way wall. Teddy leaned against the wall behind them, chin to chest in concentration.

James watched as Rose told her story to Harry, Hermione, and Bradley Maxmonford, whom James always thought was some sort of maintenance staff but turned out he was the head Unspeakable. This had to have been the only time in Rose's life where her mum had nothing to say, or rather _could_ say nothing about what she'd done. 

Hermione sat arms crossed and staring at a far off corner. Bradley listened intently, writing down the occasional note. Harry held Rose's hand and only looked away from Rose to give Hermione the occasional pointed look which she ignored. 

As Rose wound her way through the tale, she held it together until she got to the end, where she said she didn't know what she'd done exactly and so could not fix it. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, but she kept her voice clear. When he was finally through she put her head in her hands and cried harder. 

Harry gave her a consoling hug before standing. Hermione all but ran from the room. Maxmonford touched Rose's shoulder, and then he and Harry walked out of the room together. 

Rose looked so tiny all alone in that room. Harry briefly nodded at Teddy and James as he passed but continued on with Maxmonford. James went into the room and pulled up a chair next to Rose. He wouldn't leave her. 

She looked up at him and said, "Oh Jamie, my mum hates me." James put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. He wished he could talk and tell Rose that there was no way Hermione _hated_ her. James had got into his fair share of trouble growing up, and as angry as his parents got they never hated him. Disappointed them on occasion but hate…no, not hate. 

James held Rose's hand but pulled it sharply away when she squeezed it. 

"What?" Rose said. James held up his hand for her to see. Horribly discoloured and swollen. "Good god, James. You did that hitting Teddy? What's wrong with you?" 

James was glad he was unable to say anything at this point. He still didn't know all the answers himself. 

Arms crossed and leaning on the frame, Teddy stood in the doorway watching them. 

"He broke his hand hitting you," Rose said. "And no surprise you look like hell. Don't either of you know a good healing charm?"

They both shook their heads sheepishly. 

"Get over here, then, I'll fix you too," Rose said. 

James heart immediately warmed. Bossy and in control, that was his Rose. 

She healed James' hand – hurt like a son of a bitch but healed it - but she couldn't do anything for his lip. He had already used Dittany, and for it not to scar he should have done a charm first. Teddy was next. He had cuts on the insides of each cheek, and few bruises on his cheeks. Teddy then lifted his shirt and showed Rose a bruise the exact size of a fist on his ribs. James winced and turned away. He had wanted to beat Teddy to a pulp at the time but with a cooler head he was now feeling really bad about it. 

"James did this?" Rose said, gently touching the bruise. 

James looked to Teddy but he didn't nod, simply mouthed, "Hurts."

"I would say so. He broke a rib, I think. Don't you know not to fight James?"

Teddy sighed and shook his head. "Now you know," Rose said. "You're too sweet to have ever been in any really brilliant fights. James has been in more fights than I can count. Well, actually only six but after his first beating he made sure that never happened again. Not easy being Harry Potter's gay son." 

Teddy mouthed, "Sorry," but he wasn't looking at Rose when he said it. His eyes stayed firmly on James. 

James could hear Teddy's teeth grind together as Rose fixed his rib. He squeezed his eyes shut so tightly they watered at the corners. Before the bruising had abated, Teddy quickly dropped his shirt and stepped away. They heard rushing feet down the corridor. 

Harry and Maxmonford, both slightly breathless, motioned manically to Rose to come with them. Rose stood slowly from her chair and walked with slight hesitation to them. Impatient, Harry reached out, grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her from the room. The sound of footsteps faded down the corridor.

James sighed heavily and laid his head, face-down, on the table. It had been a fucking long two days. 

Poor Rose. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling. He wished there was more he could do for her but at this point there was nothing to do but wait. 

He felt Teddy move behind him and heard him sit down in the chair Rose had occupied minutes ago. 

Teddy came to the forefront of James' thoughts. Talk about a long two days. But the thing with Teddy had been so much more than two days. It had been years in the making. At least James' feelings had been so, and four days ago it seemed like Teddy's had been too.

A wry smile crept across James' lips. What he wouldn't have given fours days ago for everyone not to be able to say a thing. Sitting through dinner after his great Auror fuck up had been hell. Just waiting for someone to say something. Then in the back garden it would have been so much easier had Teddy just sat down next to him and kissed him. 

Four days ago James would have wanted no talking, just action. What had talking ever got him anyway?

Now today, right now, the silence had completely exhausted James. He would love to be able to turn his head to the side and say to Teddy, "Why did you hit me?" 

He wasn't angry about it anymore. He knew Teddy was sorry; the kiss in the alley and the silent apology as Rose healed him were enough for James. He still wanted to know why though. Was it the stress of the job? Was it because James _touched_ him while working? 

That could have been it. Teddy hadn't reacted too well when James put his arm around him on the underground the other day. 

James was too self confident to think Teddy was trying to dismiss him altogether. The thought had crossed his mind, but the way Teddy touched him, kissed him. Every moment spent together was more than just a good tumble. If Teddy only wanted James for a shag he could have had that ages ago, at any time. 

Last night was more. No doubt. 

As if James had summoned him with his mind, Teddy placed his hand on the back of James' neck and gave it a soft squeeze. James turned his head to the side and looked up at Teddy. 

Teddy reached out and traced a line down James' nose with one finger. He looked at James softly, blinking slowly. James did his best to smile but was so lost in a fog of tired thoughts he could hardly manage. 

Teddy leaned down, kissed James on the cheek, on his neck, and lastly on his lips. James' lips were still moist and warm as they heard approaching footsteps and Teddy pulled away. 

Hermione entered the room looked at the two of them and then raised her brows as if to ask, _where is everyone else_? 

Both James and Teddy shrugged at the same time. Teddy pointed in the direction they had gone but that was the only answer he had. Hermione looked that way and then she looked back at the two of them. She narrowed her eyes, looking between the two of them, then pulled out a chair and sat down across from them. 

James did his best to look bored because he really had no idea what Hermione was thinking and she was already in a mood. He didn't need her go after him for any number of things. He tried not to smile as he thought of how she would flip if she knew he and Teddy had slept together. 

Sitting in a room, trying not to look at Teddy, trying to avoid his aunt's eye, and also trying not to nod off made time crawl. After what felt like ten hours but was actually only thirty minutes, Harry appeared again to get Hermione. He motioned for Teddy and James to come along as well. 

They went down a flight of stairs and through two corridors to a conference room James had never seen before. Given the symbols on the walls, James figured it was one that belonged to the Unspeakables. It was weird. He always imagined they would have meetings in their own area, but he didn’t imagine they had conference rooms. The brain room probably wasn't big enough to hold their meetings.

Maxmonford stood at the front of the room looking impatient, and Rose sat close to him looking ill. As they all walked in, Maxmonford waved at them to hurry and sit. 

As they sat, Maxmonford nodded at Rose to start talking. 

"The Runes I had been working with aren't powerful enough in any combination to cause serious irreparable damage," she said. 

James smiled at Rose. This was great! It wasn't as bad as they had all thought. She didn't return the look but continued on. 

"The Department of Mysteries, more specifically the area I was working in, has several protective spells put up to contain the magic done there." 

At this point Maxmonford stood and started drawing on the blackboard at the front of the room. He drew several small squares and a stick person in one of them that James assumed was supposed to be Rose. Charming the chalk a different colour, he then drew wavy lines that James assumed represented the magic in place. He nodded at Rose to go on. 

"Because I generated the magic, I was less affected by it, so I got my voice back first. Is that right?" Maxmonford nodded manically, drawing lines shooting out from the stick figure that was supposed to be Rose. 

Hermione strode to the front of the room, grabbed a piece of chalk, and wrote quickly across the board, _If all this protection? How did the magic get out?_

Maxmonford pointed to Rose and mouthed, "Very powerful." Then wrote on the board, _Voiceless obsession hijacked on to her power _.__

__Tears filled Rose's eyes. James knew her well enough to know all the explaining was only making her feel worse._ _

__Maxmonford nudged her to keep going. She took a deep breath and kept her voice from shaking as she said, "The magic will wear off, all of it. Just like it did on me. It will take time depending on where you were when the spell hit you."_ _

__Maxmonford then drew a circle on the board and wrote the letters _MoM_ in the middle. He drew more and more circles around it. In each circle he wrote a number of hours, the numbers getting larger the further from the Ministry. _ _

__"He knows this will work because of an equation that gives an estimation –"_ _

__Maxmonford scrawled some sort of formula across the bottom of the board, using numbers and Runic symbols. James looked at his dad, who looked just as lost as he felt. He then looked to Teddy, who was moving his lips slightly as he read the formula._ _

__"That many hours for Wales? Are you sure? You've got your co-sign in the wrong place," Rose said._ _

__Only Rose, in water past her eyeballs, would continue to question authority._ _

__Maxmonford rapped on the board with his chalk at the part Rose must have been questioning._ _

__"Oh, right. Well, there you have it," Rose said. "Looks like in a few hours you'll have a chance to yell at me and fire me properly. Brilliant."_ _

__

__**_ _

__"Jamie. Jamie. James, wake up."_ _

__James slowly blinked awake and wondered why Teddy was waking him. He opened his eyes and rolled over to face Teddy._ _

__"Is your voice back?" Teddy said._ _

__"Whu –" James mumbled at first, not sure what Teddy was asking him – his voice! It was back! James bolted up in bed and looked around as if he expected the world to suddenly be different now that he could speak again. But no, everything seemed just as it had been a few days ago. Except he was in Teddy's bed for the second night in a row._ _

__"I got up to use the loo and noticed the time so I gave it a shot," Teddy said. It was still deep dark night, the only light in the room coming from a window in the corridor next to Teddy's bedroom. Teddy's face and body was cast in deep grey light and black shadows._ _

__"Wow, I didn't –" James scratched his head and shook it, trying to push the cobwebs of a deep sleep away. "I couldn't figure out why you were waking me up."_ _

__"Reckoned you'd want to know that now you can wow me, once again, with your amazing speaking skills."_ _

__"Thanks," James mumbled and flopped back down on his pillow, hugging it and half rolling onto his stomach._ _

__Teddy lay back down on his back, not looking at James. They both sighed but neither said anything._ _

__Everything that had gone unspoken between them for two days and now that everything was "normal" they couldn't think of a thing to say? James smiled wryly at the irony._ _

__There were hundreds of things he wanted Teddy to say to him. It would be nice to know what was going on between them. James almost said as much but at exactly that moment he ran his tongue over the inside of his lower lip, feeling the soft pucker of the scar there. Maybe they should talk to each other about other things first before James went there._ _

__There was so much to Teddy that remained a mystery to James, he vaguely wondered if he had any right being in love with him at all. There was so much he _did_ know about Teddy, though. Beyond all the physical attributes – it was almost unfair not to count them, they were so good – Teddy was clever, funny, thoughtful, caring and gave great head. Yes, James was counting the blow-job in that category because a good blow-job should never be forgotten. _ _

__James knew Teddy far better at this point than anyone else he had ever been with before. And the mysterious parts of Teddy, those he could find out as they went along._ _

__James suddenly found himself not that curious about the fact Teddy hit him. There was something going on there that would come out sooner than later. James was still in the dark about most of it but he was willing to wait. Confidence mixed with how quickly Teddy was in his pants once they got to Teddy's flat was enough for James. Some patience in the entire matter._ _

__The absurdity of the silence finally got to James and he started laughing, "Well, say something."_ _

__Teddy rolled his head to look at James and smiled widely, his teeth practically glowing in the darkness. "Like what?" he said._ _

__"I don't know. Talk dirty to me or something," James said through a laugh. Teddy laughed back but as soon as their laughter faded an awkward silence almost took over. Teddy saved it though._ _

__"I'm sorry we fought."_ _

__"You've already apologized for that. Twice. I don't need you to say it again. I'm not upset about it," James replied._ _

__Teddy barked out a laugh and said, "You are far too good for me, James. Complete fucking bastard who takes a swing at you and you forgive me like that."_ _

__"No, I didn't, and if I recall I got a few good punches in myself. How did that rib treat you for the few hours it was broken?" James said, stroking the aforementioned part of Teddy's body with his hand. Teddy's skin was warm under his touch._ _

__"Hurt like a mother fucker."_ _

__"There you are. No hard feelings. Just don't do it again, yeah?"_ _

__"Yeah," Teddy said and then retreated back into silence._ _

__James didn't know where to start and so he kept quiet himself. Funny how silence had become a safe place that quickly._ _

__He had thought Teddy had fallen back asleep and was considering doing so himself when Teddy's whisper cut through the darkness. "Did you know Christian?"_ _

__"Sanderson?" James said, his voice cracking around the name. He immediately cursed himself for sounding so stupid. Who else could Teddy mean?_ _

__"Yeah."_ _

__"No, not really. I knew who he was, had seen him around but never knew him. Sorry."_ _

__"He was a good bloke. A lot like your Uncle Ron. Bad, almost insensitive sense of humour but really a stand-up person and solid, someone you want by your side," Teddy said. James kept his hand still on Teddy's chest, not sure how much Teddy wanted to be touched in this moment._ _

__"Do you know how he died?" Teddy asked._ _

__"More or less," James said._ _

__James waited, saying nothing more. Waited for Teddy to talk. Maybe the James of two days of ago would have said something else but James now knew to be quiet. He had to let Teddy come to him. Silent and patient, he waited. It was all Teddy needed._ _

__"We were investigating a house an informant had given us the location of. It was in a dead zone. So much spell work put up we couldn't do any ourselves otherwise the whole thing would collapse around us. I was coming round the back of the house and Christian he – he came around the front but set off a trap in the front room. I heard an explosion that sounded nothing like your cauldron falling but enough to scare me, _remind_ me, as if the fact you wear a uniform isn't enough to remind me how precarious this all is._ _

__Christian, he didn't even yell, he couldn't, the spell had shredded his lungs, took the air right out of him. I ran to the front room and saw him lying there. He – um – died as I carried him out. His girlfriend, she had just had a baby."_ _

__James pushed the pillow away and reached out to Teddy, pulling him close. It was one of the most awful things James had ever heard, and he didn't know if Teddy needed a hug afterwards but James sure as hell felt he needed one._ _

__"Sorry I scared you," James muffled in Teddy's hair._ _

__"Sorry I hit you. It wasn't _you_. It could have been anyone." _ _

__"Stop apologizing for that. Really I'm fine."_ _

__"Not many Aurors would forgive their partner so easily for losing it," Teddy said back._ _

__James smiled. "You'll be OK though, and it doesn't hurt we're currently in the same bed."_ _

__"True," Teddy snorted._ _

__"And also it's possible that I've wanted you for an embarrassingly long time."_ _

__"It can't compare to the embarrassment of me wanking to thoughts of a sixteen-year-old boy," Teddy countered._ _

__"Anyone who saw me at sixteen would immediately understand. I was only a slightly less gorgeous creature than I am now."_ _

__"All ten stone of brash cheek and gangly limbs," Teddy said, pressing himself closer to James' body._ _

__"Eleven stone back then, thank you very much," James said, grabbing Teddy's arse and squeezing._ _

__"Right, maybe after eating your Gran's cooking for a month." Teddy put one hand against James' chest to hold him at bay but didn't push him._ _

__"I'm not even going to respond to that," James said in a superior tone as he tried to angle in for a kiss. "Look where I am now, you've obviously seen something you liked."_ _

__"You're passable, but this –" Teddy slid his hand between their bodies and cupped James' hardening cock. " – far more than passable."_ _

__James rolled on top of Teddy, pinning him to the mattress, and rolled his hips against him, moaning at the feel of Teddy's long hard cock against his. James leaned in and kissed Teddy, slowly sliding his tongue into Teddy's mouth. James teased Teddy's tongue with the tip of his, along the side and underneath. Teddy gripped James' shoulders as he pushed into the kiss and rolled his hips._ _

__James rested his hands flat on either side of Teddy's head and pushed up. He looked at Teddy beneath him, hair sleep tousled, eyes glowing through the dark, lips pouty as he breathed heavily._ _

__"Christ, Jamie. Want you," Teddy said, pushing his hips to James', their cocks pressing together. James rolled his hips slowly in response, their cocks rubbing past one another. The friction sending shivers all the way down James' spine._ _

__"Yes, like that," Teddy said. "Rub our cocks together. I love feeling yours on mine."_ _

__James rolled his hips over and over, Teddy arching up to meet James'. He reached down, grabbing James' arse to hold him closer. James pushed against Teddy in shorter, faster pumps._ _

__"Fuck yes. Like that. So fucking perfect having you above me. I want you to sit on me and ride me. You would like that, I know you would." Teddy touched James' crevice lightly with the tips of his fingers. James moaned and thrust sharply against Teddy._ _

__"You're so beautiful above me. I want to see you take me in your arse over and over. Sitting on me and moving slowly up and down, my cock pounding into you. Till your head drops back and you say my name and come all over me. I'll fuck you slow, riding out your orgasm, and then fuck you more, making you come again and till I'm ready to come with you. Or I can make you wait. You know I can, Jamie. Make you wait till your begging. _Begging_." _ _

__"Fucking god, yes," James moaned. He snapped his hips against Teddy, pressing their cocks harder together so that all he could feel was Teddy pressed to him._ _

__"Going to do so many fucking things to you. Going to spread my legs wide, let you take my arse." Teddy spread his legs further apart as if he meant for James to do that at this moment. Teddy wrapped his legs around James, digging his heels into his lower back to stay in place. "Have you fuck me like this, my body moving with yours till you scream and fill me. Then you can lick your come from my arse and bring me off with your mouth. Love your mouth on my cock. Your tongue licking the back as the head slides down your throat."_ _

__The words dripped hot and sticky like honey from Teddy's lips. Yes, god Merlin fuck and yes, James wanted to do all of that._ _

__Teddy traced his hands down James' arms that flexed under Teddy's touch, to James' chest, flicking his nipples with his thumbs. "Fuuuuu –" James moaned at the touch. His body was on fire from Teddy's touch. It was so good, so much, he wanted it to end before he exploded but also wanted it more and more._ _

__"Roll me over," Teddy said, his voice deeper than before. "Roll me facedown in the mattress, press your chest to my back as you rub yourself on my arse."_ _

__James lifted his hips, which had kept Teddy pinned to the bed. Teddy rolled over and canted his hips up. "Press your cock against me," Teddy said._ _

__James laid down on top of him, allowing his weight to keep Teddy pressed to the bed. His hot damp chest pressed to Teddy's back. "Yes, like that, hold me here while you get off on me."_ _

__James let out an inarticulate moan and pushed against Teddy, his cock hot and slick against Teddy's arse. He slid up his crevice over and over. He could feel the flex and grind of Teddy's hips against his._ _

__"Going to come," James panted. "Oh fuck, want to come."_ _

__"Yes. Come on me, Jamie," Teddy replied._ _

__"Fuck yourself on the mattress. Rub your cock into it while I fuck you," James said. "Make yourself come for me."_ _

__Teddy groaned and thrust his hips harder and faster. James pushed against him. Teddy's body warm and sweaty under his, making James' head swim. Moans and curse words flew out of James' mouth as he was close, so fucking close. And, fuck yes! He stilled and then pushed to Teddy again and again as he came. Come spilling down between Teddy's arse cheeks, slicking the last of James' strokes._ _

__Teddy stilled and cried out as he came, James still pressing to his arse._ _

__James took a shuddering breath as he rolled off of Teddy. Teddy turned to him and pulled him close. Pressing to James from sticky, spent cocks up to their foreheads._ _

__As Teddy softly kissed James, he breathed out one word: "Jamie." The sound of it was worth more than James' weight in gold. It was the sweetest he had ever heard his name sound._ _

__**_ _

__"Dad comes by a lot. Always makes me laugh, never brings it up really. He did once. Joked about not being able to get good Quidditch World Cup seats now that I won't make Minister. Said he didn't really mean it when I started crying."_ _

__James didn't reply even though he was sure Rose wanted him to._ _

__They sat in Rose's flat, snuggled in close on the sofa like they were back in their common room. James with his arm around Rose, feet up on the table, Rose's head on his shoulder and legs tucked underneath her. Best friends together again._ _

__"Mum comes by too. Promises she's not upset with me. I didn't believe her till two nights ago. She brought me by dinner, mentioned she had run into Scorpius, and I broke down crying. She cried too. We were a sobbing mess on my kitchen floor. I've felt a lot better since that."_ _

__James nodded to show Rose he was listening. She huffed a bit peevishly and continued on._ _

__"Your dad has stopped by. Kept apologizing for me losing my job. Says he knows it was an accident and that he thought for sure something could be arranged but nothing could. What he probably isn't telling me was it was all he could do to keep my arse out of Azkaban. Cuffe is positioning himself to take Mum's job now that her credibility has dropped. He won't though. Mum will eat him alive if he goes for it._ _

__"Your Mum came by too. She tried to do my laundry and cook for me. I told her she was acting like her mother and that seemed to scare her straight. She took me out and bought that." Rose pointed to a gleaming Muggle telly sitting in the corner. "Charmed it to life. We sat around watching Merlin knows what and drinking too much wine. It was brilliant. She's coming over tomorrow, we're finishing up a film we started. There was the most amazing sex scene at the start of it. Your mum kept going on about the man's cock and how big he was. She must have been more pissed than I realized because she started talking about your dad and what they get up to. Did you know –"_ _

__"Rose, enough. You're going to make me sick. I don't want to know anything about my parents," James said._ _

__"Oh, so your voice _does_ work. I was beginning to think it went away again." _ _

__"Har, har," James replied. "We talked as soon as I walked in your flat."_ _

__"Right, well you're the one who never comes around so I wasn't sure if your voice was permanently back."_ _

__"Why are you trying to wind me up? You know very well I've been in the field the past five days and the three days before that I was _here_ with you and two of those days I had to keep telling you everything would be all right." Annoyed, James moved to pull away but Rose pressed into him. _ _

__"Don't get upset, Jamie. I'm sorry. You're being quiet is all and I wanted you to say something."_ _

__James huffed and sat back into the couch. "Fine."_ _

__"How was the field?" Rose asked tactfully._ _

__James shrugged. "Fine."_ _

__It had actually been boring as hell for the most part. Denby was on temporary duty with them as Harry had been far too busy the past week cleaning the whole mess up. So he and Teddy were relegated to acting professional and stealing any glances they could when Denby was occupied._ _

__Now that everyone's voice was back there was still a lot to deal with. The Ministry had received several complaints about wards failing and other protective spells going awry, all of which had to be investigated. James, Teddy and Denby had spent the last five days dealing with some of those claims. So far all complaints had been proven false but that didn't make the job any easier. Leave it to an old paranoid wizard to waste your entire day by insisting his garden was under Muggle attack._ _

__Returning to either his place or Teddy's every night more than made up for the complete wank of a day._ _

__"You and Teddy getting along all right?" Rose said, clearly trying her best to pry._ _

__Because part of James wanted to tell her everything, he threw her a little bone. "Sure, totally professional. With Denby around it can't be anything else."_ _

__"I knew it! What's going on with you and Teddy?"_ _

__James shrugged and tried hard not to smile._ _

__"Jamie! Come on!" Rose said, sitting up and shaking him. "I'm a sad jobless girl with no hope of anything. You have to give me something."_ _

__James smiled and said, "All right, all right. Stop grabbing me, your fingers are so bony."_ _

__"Tell me why the fight, all that mess, tell me," Rose said, putting her hands primly in her lap._ _

__"Oh, that." James knit his eyebrows together. That part of it felt like it happened years ago, but since Rose was the one to save them from further hitting each other he supposed she deserved an explanation. "Well, we fucked and then it all went to hell."_ _

__"You _fucked_ Teddy? You fucked Teddy. Oh God. You fucked Teddy!" _ _

__"Several times."_ _

__"Several times?"_ _

__"Stop being jealous, he's gay, you haven't got a shot," James said._ _

__"Jaaaamie," Rose whinged. "Tell me more."_ _

__"Right, well, there was a bit of flirtation, and then after work the day everyone lost their voices we went back to his place to eat, and…he does this thing with his tongue that, well…Victoire probably still misses."_ _

__"Tell me more. Why were you fighting?"_ _

__"Misunderstanding coupled with job stress and I scared the shit out of Teddy, so…" James shrugged. He could explain his part to Rose but out of respect to private things Teddy had told him he couldn't explain all of it. "It's all fine now. Better than fine._ _

__"Better than fine?" Rose grabbed his shirt and took a big loud sniff. "You smell like him. You've just come from his place haven't you?"_ _

__"Do you know how creepy it is that you just sniffed me and told me I smelled like Teddy? Makes you sound like a nutter."_ _

__"Not a nutter. I know what your flat and you smell like and right now that isn't how you smell. Wait. It's your day off! Why aren't you with him now? Shagging your brains out?"_ _

__"I'm here with _you_." James pinched Rose's side, making her squirm. _ _

__James let go and Rose settled back down. "You're not upset about him, right? It's all fine between you?"_ _

__"Yes, now stop prying. You're going from annoyingly cute to fucking obnoxious really damn quick," James warned._ _

__"Oh, you're being very close-lipped about this all. It's either special or it's not as good as you dreamed."_ _

__James chortled. "It's better than even you could _dream_." _ _

__Rose hugged him tight and then they settled back into silence, James' thoughts on Teddy. After a few minutes Rose said, "Promise me when you two buy a place in the country and adopt abandoned krups that you'll still come visit your spinster cousin."_ _

__"Promise," James said and kissed the top of Rose's head and laid his cheek on it._ _

__They had both comfortably retreated back into their own thoughts when there was a knock at the door._ _

__"Come in," Rose called, flicking her wand to unlock the door._ _

__The door opened and in walked Teddy. His hair the brightest, fiercest green James had ever seen. James' heart melted. Once when they were kids and Rose was desperately in love with Teddy she had told him that was her favourite colour of hair. The fact he remembered either meant he was straight and actually in love with Rose or that Teddy was as kind and thoughtful as James knew him to be._ _

__Being that Teddy was shyly looking at James instead of Rose, who he was supposed to visiting, James chose to believe the latter._ _

__"Sorry, I can come back," Teddy said._ _

__"No, no," Rose said, uncurling herself from James and the couch. "It's just James, you can come in."_ _

__"Are you sure? You two don't have family gossip to catch up on?" Teddy said with a twinkle in his eye._ _

__Rose blushed and said unconvincingly, "Us? No, not at all."_ _

__"You were always a terrible liar," Teddy said with a smile and handed Rose a package he brought with him. "For you. Almost brought you sweets but didn't think you would thank me later for allowing you to sit on your arse and eat chocolate."_ _

__Rose giggled, and James rolled his eyes. "What is it then? Books?" Rose said, shaking the package._ _

__"Yeah, a couple on ancient Chinese symbols. There's a private firm from Asia looking to recruit Runes experts. I can get you a glowing reference from my godfather if you'd like."_ _

__"Oh, Teddy." Rose dropped the books and threw her arms around him, practically knocking him over. He hugged her back but looked at James and winked. James smiled back._ _

__Rose picked up the books and with tears in her eyes began to open them. "Everyone seems to think I'm going to sit in this flat forever and never have a job again. No one has offered me a single prospect till now. Wow, Teddy, thank you."_ _

__"I don't know if you're ready to work again or anything like that. Your decision and all –" Teddy looked down, scratching the back of his head, " – but you know, when you're ready there are other opportunities out there. It's not all lost. Live your life looking forward."_ _

__Rose held the books to her chest and said, "Thank you."_ _

__"I think I'm going to go," James said, standing from the sofa and stretching. "I'm knackered. Haven't had a day off in ages. My Auror partner is a slave driver."_ _

__"You're not staying?" Teddy said._ _

__"No. Rose is sick of me and I can tell she wants to curl up in bed and read those books till her eyes fall out," James said, putting his arm around Rose as she glared at him. James squeezed her tight and then made to go._ _

__"Teddy, it's lovely you came to see me but I'm tired too. Too much family dropping in and James is right, I'd love to get started on these books. Why don't you go with James. I mean, you don't have to go with him, you're your own person, you can go where you want and-"_ _

__"I get the message," Teddy said with a chuckle. "I'll come by some other time, perhaps? Better yet, take you out for a drink instead of treating you like a shut in."_ _

__Rose practically shoved the two of them out the door. James started down the corridor ahead of Teddy, but Teddy reached out and pulled him back._ _

__James looked down at where Teddy held his wrist and then back at Teddy. "Did you need something?" James asked._ _

__"Yes," Teddy breathed as he pulled James in for a kiss. He slid his fingers through James' hair and held firmly to his back as he opened James' mouth wider with his tongue. James moaned, kissing him back. He pressed to Teddy, desire curled in his belly as he felt Teddy's firm chest on his._ _

__The kiss broke and James, face still almost pressed to Teddy's, said, "I thought you came here to see Rose."_ _

__"Partly. Knew you would be here too. Wanted to see if you wanted to come to dinner with me over at your parents' house tonight."_ _

__James made a face. That didn't sound like very much fun at all._ _

__"Come on, it will be nice. I can molest you under the dinner table while we eat our mashed potatoes," Teddy said pinching James' arse._ _

__"Getting a massive hard-on from my partner while my father, and not to mention _boss_ , is sitting there doesn't sound _nice_." James' pinched Teddy's arse in reply._ _

__"We'll just have to get off in the loo between dinner and pudding then."_ _

__"And what about my parents being there?"_ _

__Teddy waved his hand as if they were inconsequential to the whole problem. "Don't mind them. Your mum wants you happy and your dad, our boss, thinks we're good for each other."_ _

__"Really?" James said, surprised. "When did he say that?"_ _

__"When I tried to talk him out of making you my partner," Teddy replied, and James couldn't help but laugh._ _

__"Turned out OK for the both of us, though," James replied._ _

__"Indeed."_ _

__"Fine, we can eat with my parents tonight. But it's hardly after noon. What are we going to do till then?" James said, pulling away and looking at his watch._ _

__"You could always kiss again," came Rose's muffled reply from behind her door._ _

__Both James and Teddy, momentarily shocked, looked at Rose's door, which she must have charmed to look through._ _

__Teddy grinned wickedly and said, "That's not a bad idea but I think we can do better than that. Come on, James."_ _

__"Bye, Rosie!" James called as Teddy pulled him by the hand and took him away._ _


End file.
